IN THIS CHAPTER ARE HEARTY SOUPS, substantial and chunky, containing small pieces of meats, vegetables, legumes, and grains, somewhere between a liquid soup and a thick stew. They are usually served in cold weather when that big pot can stay on the stove for hours helping to heat the room and warm us up on the inside. Because this category of soups is made with a long list of ingredients, they are difficult to make in small quantities. Most freeze well, so get out your biggest pot and start chopping.

These inexpensive, bountiful soups are main dish meals that inspire contentment.

Here we find international specialties such as Vietnamese Pho Soup with Beef Brisket (page 109) with its French influence. The vegan Creole Gumbo Z’Herbes (page 106) comes from Creole Louisiana traditions but has a strong African influence. The Mexican Sopa de Tortilla with Shredded Chicken (page 115) is a great way of using up stale tortillas and is fresh tasting with its slew of garnishes. The toasted chiles in the soup are dried and may be kept in the pantry. The Portuguese Caldo Verde (page 113), or “hot green” soup, is full of shredded kale and the spicy Portuguese pork sausage called chouriço. Caldo gallego is a related soup from Galicia in northern Spain made with white beans and kale. The Rumanian Beet-Vegetable Borscht with Beef Brisket (page 119) is best made in fall and winter when the root vegetables it calls for are in season. A last minute addition of brown sugar and lemon provide a palate-awakening sweet-tart flavor.

Other hearty soups include the whole family of Italian minestrone—a minestra is a simple soup with few ingredients, a minestrone is a complex soup with lots of ingredients, and closely related to the Acquacotta Maremmana (page 83). Its French cousin is soupe au pistou, a mix of summer vegetables including Swiss chard, and topped with a tomato or basil pistou. Garbure, from Gascony in Southwestern France, is a country-style cabbage soup containing ham or the local specialty of preserved meats such as confit of duck. Fava beans, potatoes, turnips, kohlrabi, chestnuts, nettles, and borage leaves may show up in the pot.

A potée is an ancient French dish usually including preserved pork, root vegetables, and sauerkraut. Dutch and Flemish hutspot is a filling dish of root vegetables that may be boiled and mashed or served in a broth with meat, especially beef. This very old term, which can be translated as “shaken pot,” is a cousin to English hotchpot and French hochepot, substantial stews of meat and barley. The term evolved into hodge-podge, a jumbled mixture.

Spanish cocido, which invariably contains chickpeas, is simmered in a large pot and is related to Italian bollito misto, and even the traditional New England boiled dinner, all of which contain a variety of meats and hearty root vegetables cooked in a rich broth. These dishes may be served in multiple courses with the vegetables first, the cooked meats second, and the broth third. Cocido often has fine noodles added to it just before serving. Bollito misto is accompanied by various highly seasoned sauces and condiments for the meats. Robust bean soups like Italian pasta e fagioli and chunky Cuban-style black bean soup also fall into this category.

These slow-cooked, hearty soups are perfect family fare—inexpensive, substantial, and full of rounded flavor. They are usually served in large bowls as the main dish of the meal, accompanied by crusty bread for dunking and perhaps followed by a green salad.

CREOLE GUMBO Z’HERBES

GUMBO Z’HERBES, a soupy stew of slow-cooked greens, is traditionally served on Good Friday during Lent in Creole country—southeastern Louisiana. Many recipes call for seven different cooking greens for good luck. Gumbo originated in southern Louisiana during the eighteenth century and consists of a rich broth, a thickener, and aromatic vegetables such as celery, bell peppers, and onion—the Creole kitchen’s “holy trinity.” This gumbo is thickened with a dark roux, paste of deeply browned flour and fat. We use oil rather than butter, because this is a soup for Lent when no animal foods are served. Gumbo gets its name either from the Bantu word for okra (ki ngombo) or the Choctaw word for filé or ground sassafras leaf, (kombo). This soup is suitable for vegans and vegetarians, and it freezes well.

Makes 1 gallon (4 L), serves about 12

INGREDIENTS

5 bunches assorted cooking greens, such as spinach, collards, kale, watercress, curly endive, and chicory; mustard, turnips, beets, carrots, and radish tops; and arugula

3/4 cup (175 ml) olive oil

1 cup (126 g) all-purpose flour

2 bunches scallions, white and light green parts thinly sliced; reserve green tops for garnish

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 large green bell pepper, diced

4 celery stalks, diced

2 tablespoons (20 g) minced garlic

Salt and pepper

2 quarts (2 L) Vegetable Stock (page 14)

2 bay leaves

6 sprigs fresh thyme, tied with kitchen string (see Appendix, page 149)

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 bunch parsley, leaves and tender stems chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

3 tablespoons (45 ml) cider vinegar, plus additional for serving

1/2 cup (83 g) cooked white rice per person, for serving

Hot sauce, for serving

Rinse and trim the greens, removing any dried-out parts, wilted, slimy, or broken leaves, and tough stems that don’t break easily. If you’re using collards and kale, remove the tough inner rib that runs up the center of each leaf.

Fill the sink with cold water and submerge all the greens. Leave undisturbed for about 5 minutes, and then scoop from the water and place in a colander. (Don’t drain the sink with the greens still in it: Soaking the greens allows all the sand and grit to settle to the bottom of the sink—if you drain it, your greens are left sitting in the silty stuff.) If the bowl contains more than a few specks of sand, repeat the process. (Don’t ruin a whole pot of soup with sandy greens.)

1. Cut the greens into 1/2- to 1-inch (1 to 2.5 cm) thick ribbons.

2. Transfer greens to a large pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add water to fill the pot about halfway. Season generously with salt. Cover and cook over medium-high heat. When the water in the pot begins to simmer, cover tightly and reduce the heat to medium low.

3. Cook the greens, occasionally turning with a pair of tongs or a spoon, until they are very soft and wilted, 30 to 40 minutes. Strain the greens, making sure to reserve the cooking liquid. (You should have about 1 quart, or 1 liter.) Allow the greens to cool slightly.

4. Working in two to three batches, place a portion of the greens into a blender (preferable for finer texture) or the bowl of a food processor. (You will process about half of the greens.)

5. Add a ladleful of the reserved cooking liquid to each batch in the blender.

6. Blend the greens to a thick purée that still has some chunky texture. Mix the puréed greens with the remaining half of the cooked, sliced greens, and reserve.

7. Now prepare the roux: In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Slowly sprinkle in the flour and stir to combine into a thick, smooth paste.

8. Cook while stirring the roux constantly with a wooden spoon or wire whisk to prevent lumps from forming.

9. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring and taking care to scrape out the corners of the pan, until the roux is a deep nutty brown (the color of peanut butter) and emits a toasted aroma, about 15 minutes.

10. Preferably use a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to stir in the scallions, onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

11. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.

12. Add the reserved greens cooking liquid, along with the Vegetable Stock and the reserved puréed and sliced greens.

13. Add the bay leaves, thyme bundle, cayenne pepper, parsley, allspice, and cloves, and stir well to combine.

14. Increase the heat to medium high and bring the soup mixture to a light boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until the gumbo base is soupy and thick and the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

Simmer the gumbo 10 minutes to meld the flavors, stirring often so it doesn’t stick and burn. Remove from the heat and stir in the vinegar.

15. Ladle the soup around a mound of cooked white rice in individual serving bowls.

16. Sprinkle each portion with reserved scallions. Each diner can add more vinegar and hot sauce to taste.

SOUPMAKER’S TIPS

* Choose a large variety of greens: some peppery, such as watercress and mustard; some biting, such as arugula; some mild, such as spinach, carrot tops, and kale; some bitter, such as chicory, turnip, and curly endive; and some aromatic, such as parsley and thyme.

* When making a roux, the longer you cook it, the more it darkens, but the less its thickening power. So, a soup made with a dark roux will require more roux than one made with an ordinary blond roux.

SAVE FOR STOCK:

Scallion root ends; onion, green pepper, and celery trimmings; thyme and parsley stems.

VIETNAMESE PHO SOUP WITH BEEF BRISKET

PHO IS A VIETNAMESE rice noodle soup traditionally served in beef broth. It originated in the North Vietnamese capital of Hanoi, which had an important textile market where the soup was sold by vendors from large boxes. The first restaurant specializing in pho opened in the 1920s, but the soup is still a popular street food often eaten at night. It is possible that the word pho derives from the French pot-au-feu (fire) that originated during the period of French colonial rule. After the Vietnam War, refugees fled to U.S. cities where they opened restaurants specializing in pho with a choice of tough, flavorful beef cuts such as brisket and flank or meatballs. Northern Vietnamese pho tends to use wider noodles and more scallions; southern Vietnamese pho, like this one, is sweeter and includes bean sprouts, abundant fresh herbs, and fish sauce. Here, fresh mint, cilantro, bean sprouts, limes, green chiles, scallions, hoisin, and Sriracha sauce are added to the soup by each diner according to taste.

Makes about 1 gallon (4 L), serves 10 to 12

INGREDIENTS

3 quarts (3 L) Vietnamese Beef Broth (recipe follows)

2 to 3 pounds (907 g to 1.4 kg) brisket of beef (with or without fat)

1 package (6 ounces, or 168 g) thin rice noodles (mai fun)

1/4 pound (115 g) snow pea pods

1 pint (100 g) mung bean sprouts

1 bunch cilantro, leaves picked off

1 bunch Thai holy basil (or 1/2 bunch sweet basil plus 1/2 bunch mint)

1 bunch scallions, sliced on the bias into 1/2-inch (1 cm) sections

2 limes, cut into wedges

2 to 3 jalapeno peppers, thinly sliced

1/4 cup (60 ml) Sriracha Thai hot sauce

1/4 cup (60 ml) Chinese Hoisin sauce

Place the broth in a soup pot, add the brisket and bring to a boil. Simmer 3 hours, or until the brisket is tender when pierced with a skewer or fork but still holds its shape.

1. Remove the brisket (here a whole brisket, with its fat and both upper flat and lower point muscles) from the pot and cool covered with damp paper towels to prevent a skin from forming. Reserve the broth.

2. Trim off any fat from the outside and discard.

3. Here we trim the spongy fat and connective tissue between the two layers of muscle.

4. Trimmed brisket ready to slice.

5. Slice the brisket as thinly as possible against the grain and reserve.

6. Place the rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Allow the noodles to soften until pliable, about 20 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, add the sliced brisket to the pot and bring back to a boil.

8. Add the pea pods and bean sprouts to the pot and stir to combine.

9. Place the cilantro and basil leaves into the bottom of individual serving bowls. Add a handful of drained, softened rice noodles to each bowl.

10. Ladle the soup broth over top.

11. Place scallions, lime wedges, sliced jalapenos, Sriracha sauce, and Hoisin sauce in small bowls. Diners can add their choice of the garnishes to their bowl and then ladle in the hot soup.

VIETNAMESE BEEF BROTH

Make the Vietnamese Beef Broth ahead of time, freezing if desired.

Makes about 3 quarts (3 L)

INGREDIENTS

3 pounds (1.4 kg) oxtail, cut by the butcher in 1-inch (2.5 cm) sections

3 pounds (1.4 kg) beef shin, cut by the butcher in 1-inch (2.5 cm) sections

1 onion, unpeeled and cut in quarters

1 piece (3 inch, or 7.5 cm) fresh ginger, cut in half lengthwise

6 whole cloves

8 whole star anise pods

2 cinnamon sticks

4 bay leaves

1 tablespoon (5.8 g) fennel seeds

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C, or gas mark 6). Place the oxtail and beef shin in a roasting pan just large enough to hold them. Roast until brown, about 11/2 hours, turn bones so they roast evenly and cook until deep brown, about 30 minutes longer.

Transfer the contents of the roasting to a stock pot, scraping out any browned bits from the pan. Cover with 1 gallon (4 L) cold water and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that rises to the top, which will be white at the beginning and then light tan. Continue to skim until the broth is mostly clear. Reduce the heat to a simmer.

Meanwhile, place a cast-iron or steel skillet over high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the onion and ginger halves and cook till charred on all sides. Then, add the remaining ingredients to the broth, including the onion and ginger. Simmer at the lowest possible heat at least 8 hours, or until the meat falls to pieces.

Strain the broth, discarding the solids. Refrigerate the broth overnight or until the fat solidifies on top. Remove the fat and discard, reserving the broth. If you are pressed for time, you can skip the cooling process but remove as much fat as possible using a ladle.

SOUPMAKER’S TIPS

* The beef broth freezes quite well and will keep about 5 days refrigerated, so make it ahead of time. Otherwise, allow 24 hours to make the soup from start to finish.

* If you don’t have time to wait for the broth to chill thoroughly so the fat solidifies, you may remove the last bit of fat from the top of the broth by laying paper towels on the surface, which will absorb the fat. Repeat once.

* Brisket of beef comes from the front of the “breast” of the cow and includes two distinct muscles: the larger, pointed oblong-shaped lean flat, or first cut, and the smaller, fattier triangular second cut, attached together by a thick layer of spongy fat and connective tissue. While brisket is prized for its robust beefy flavor, it must be cooked slowly at low heat, shrinking by about half its weight during cooking. The brisket flat is commonly sold on its own and includes little to no fat; the second cut is sold as part of a whole brisket either on or off the bone. Look for brisket at markets catering to an eastern European Jewish clientele or in Texas, where it’s the preferred cut for Texas-style barbecue.

* Sriracha is a thickened red sauce made from hot red chiles, vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt, and it’s named after the coastal city of Si Racha in central Thailand. In Thailand, Sriracha is a dipping sauce for seafood; in Vietnam, Sriracha is a condiment for pho and spring rolls. In the United States, Rooster brand dominates the market, and the sauce is served at many restaurants, from diners to burger joints.

* Dark brown, thick and sweet, hoisin sauce comes from Peking, China, and includes starches such as sweet potato, wheat or rice, and toasted, mashed soybeans, along with sugar, vinegar, salt, garlic, and red chiles.

SAVE FOR STOCK:

If desired, reserve the simmered beef shank and shin and brisket trimmings to make a second stock. Known as remouillage (rewetting) in French, the second cooking will produce a light-bodied stock that nevertheless has good beef flavor when combined with other ingredients.

Save snow pea trimmings, cilantro stems (use in stock for Asian and Latin American soups), basil stems (mint stems are quite strong and can be simmered in sugar syrup to make a mint-infused syrup suitable for sweetening iced tea, cocktails, and fruit macedoine). Use ginger peelings and trimmings the same way. Save light-colored scallion trimmings—discard the dark green tops as these will dye the stock an unpleasant grayish green.

PORTUGUESE CALDO VERDE

CALDO VERDE, WHICH MEANS “hot green broth,” is considered by many to be Portugal’s national dish. This kale-based soup originated in the Minho Province in northern Portugal but has become a national favorite found everywhere from fancy hotel dining rooms to humble peasant homes. The kale used in Portugal, known as Tronchuda, has large, paddle-shaped dark blue-green leaves with thick, white, fleshy ribs and mild, sweet flavor and is sometimes substituted by collard greens. Caldo Verde is often accompanied by broa, yeast-raised Portuguese cornbread, for sopping up the delicious juices—similar to American Southern soul food in which sweetened cornbread sops up “pot liquor,” the cooking juices of simmered collard greens.

Makes about 5 quarts (5 L), serves 10 to 12

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 pound (225 g) chorizo sausage, sliced or cut into smaller pieces

1 large onion, diced

3 quarts (3 L) Chicken Stock (page 9), simmering

2 pounds (907 g) potatoes, preferably gold such as Yukon Gold, quartered and sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

1 large bunch kale, leaves shredded

1. Place olive oil in a large soup pot—here a French-style rondeau—and heat. Add the sausage and brown while breaking up the sausage into small bits.

2. Add the onions and cook over medium heat or until softened but not browned.

3. Add the Chicken Stock and use a wooden spoon to release the tasty browned bits on the bottom of the pot.

4. Add the potatoes, the garlic, and the salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, and then lower the heat and simmer until potatoes are half cooked, about 10 minutes.

5. Add the shredded kale to the soup and cook until tender, about 25 minutes.

6. Taste for seasoning and serve.

SOUPMAKER’S TIPS

* You may use Spanish-style dry-cured chorizo, Mexican style fresh chorizo, or authentic Portuguese chouriço here. All three are made from pork but Spanish chorizo is often smoked and dry-cured. It is seasoned with wine or garlic and with sweet and hot Spanish paprika. Mexican chorizo is a fresh sausage and must be cooked. Chouriço is a closely related Portuguese wood-smoked sausage seasoned with sweet paprika, garlic, salt, white or red wine, and Angolan piri-piri (hot pepper sauce).

* Though Caldo Verde is often made with Vegetable Stock or simply water for the liquid, the richness and body of Chicken Stock make the soup more substantial and flavorful.

SAVE FOR STOCK:

Onion trimmings, potato trimmings (don’t save kale stems as cole—cabbage family—vegetables lend a disagreeably strong flavor to stock)

MEXICAN SOPA DE TORTILLA WITH SHREDDED CHICKEN

MADE IN INNUMERABLE VERSIONS, this substantial soup (also known as Sopa Azteca) is tangy with lime juice and spicy hot from toasted guajillo, and it was developed as a frugal cook’s way to use up stale tortillas. It is garnished at the table with toasted pasilla chiles, crunchy fried tortilla strips, cilantro—though some people use stronger epazote—mild queso fresco (substitute mild feta or halloumi cheese), and buttery sliced avocado. Though chicken broth is most common, Smoked Turkey Stock adds robust flavor. The soup base freezes well but the garnishes must be prepared fresh.

Makes 3 quarts (3 L), serves 8 to 12

INGREDIENTS

4 dried guajillo chiles

2 dried pasilla chiles, stemmed

3 quarts (3 L) Chicken Stock, Roasted Chicken Broth, or Smoked Turkey Stock (page 9, 20, or 11), divided

3/4 pound (340 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs

2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons (5 g) ground cumin

Crunchy Fried Tortilla Strips (see “Crunchy Fried Tortilla Strips,” page 118) divided

2 cups (360 g) chopped plum tomatoes, fresh or canned (if using fresh, remove the skins)

1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems picked off for garnish

Juice of 4 key limes, substitute the juice of 2 limes, plus extra juice and limes for garnish

Kosher salt

1/4 pound (115 g) queso fresco, crumbled

2 firm but ripe avocados, sliced (see Appendix, page 152)

1. Cut off the stem ends of the guajillo and pasilla chiles.

2. Cut down the sides of the chiles.

3. Open up the chiles, exposing the seeds.

4. Shake out the seeds and discard them.

5. Use scissors or a knife to slice the pasilla chiles into thin strips and reserve.

6. Heat a large heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, until just beginning to smoke. Add the guajillo chiles, pressing down with a spatula to flatten them and cook briefly, just until the chiles begin to smoke. Remove from the skillet and reserve for the soup broth.

Repeat with the pasilla chile strips. Cut the pasilla chiles crosswise into thin strips and reserve for garnish.

Meanwhile, in a medium pot, heat 2 cups (475 ml) of the stock or broth. Add the chicken thighs and bring the liquid to a boil, skimming off any white foam. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the chicken is firm, about 15 minutes.

7. Allow the chicken thighs to cool in the broth, and then drain, reserving the broth and the chicken.

8. Slice the chicken thinly against the grain and reserve.

9. In a large soup pot, heat the oil, add the onion, garlic, cumin, and crumbled toasted guajillo chiles and cook until the onions are soft and tender but not browned, about 5 minutes.

10. Add about one-third of the fried tortilla strips and the tomatoes and stir to combine.

11. Add the reserved chicken poaching broth and the remaining broth or stock, here robust Smoked Turkey Stock (page 11).

12. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until liquid has mostly been absorbed and chiles are soft, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

13. Working in batches, blend the mixture in the jar of a blender or using an immersion blender until smooth. Pour the puréed mixture back into the soup pot. Add the lime juice and salt to taste and bring back to a boil.

14. Prepare the garnishes, clockwise from the center top: fried tortilla strips, toasted pasilla chile strips, lime juice and cut limes, crumbled queso fresco, cilantro, sliced chicken, and, in the center, sliced avocado.

The lime juice and sliced chicken are usually added to the soup pot—the other ingredients are added to taste to individual portions of the soup.

SOUPMAKER’S TIPS

* An inexpensive Chinese brass wire and bamboo skimmer, also known as a spider, is best for scooping deep-fried foods from cooking oil. The brass wire repels oil so that the foods will be lighter. Almost any Asian market will sell them for about five dollars.

* Queso fresco is a very mild, lightly salted unaged white cheese popular in Spain, Portugal, Mexico, and Central and Latin America. It can be compared to Indian paneer, Cypriot halloumi, and mild feta and like them, it crumbles easily and in most versions, doesn’t melt into creamy threads when heated.

SAVE FOR STOCK:

Onion trimmings, chicken thigh trimmings, fresh tomato trimmings, cilantro stems (good for Asian and Latin American soups, cilantro roots, if included, are prized in Southeast Asian cuisine for curry paste)

Crunchy Fried Tortilla Strips

While you can use store-bought fried tortillas here, the homemade version from fresh tortillas will be nutty, crunchy, and full of distinctive, slightly acrid nixtamalized corn flavor. Nixtamalization is a process for preparing corn in which the kernels are soaked and then cooked in an alkaline solution, usually limewater, and then hulled. Corn treated in this manner can be ground more easily, has increased nutritional value, and mycotoxins from mold and fungus are reduced. Nixtamalized corn is used to make tortillas, masa harina flour for tamales and other corn products, corn chips, and hominy or posole.

Makes about 4 cups (245 g)

1 package (12 ounces, or 340 g) corn tortillas

2 cups (475 ml) canola or vegetable oil, for frying

1. Cut the tortillas in half and then cut crosswise into strips.

Heat oil in a medium heavy pot, a wok, or a cast iron skillet. (Fill the pot no more than two-thirds full with oil.) Heat until the oil is shimmering and quite hot (see “Checking the Temperature of Frying Oil without Using a Thermometer,” page 92, for how to tell when the oil is hot enough.)

2. Add the tortilla strips a few at a time to the pot so the temperature doesn’t drop and so they don’t stick together. Fry, stirring so they cook evenly, until crisp and lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

3. Scoop the tortilla strips from the oil using tongs, wire spider, or slotted spoon.

4. Drain on a wire cooling rack placed over a baking tray or on paper towels.

RUMANIAN BEET-VEGETABLE BORSCHT WITH BEEF BRISKET

ROMANIA IS KNOWN for its large variety of vegetable dishes including this version of borscht, which contains a whole garden of vegetables—onion, carrots, parsnip, green cabbage, celery, green pepper, and tomato, and plenty of chopped dill. Today, it is the ruby-red beet root that defines borscht, but its name comes from the Russian word for cow parsnip, a root vegetable in the carrot family and presumably the soup’s original base. Serve the borscht with a dollop of bright white sour cream floating on top for a meal in a bowl that tastes as good as it looks. Some cooks add finely shredded raw beets just before serving to brighten the color; others prefer to finish the soup with a few tablespoons (ml) of bottled beet concentrate, available at Russian and Eastern European markets. Allow about 6 hours from start to finish to make this soup, although most of that time is unattended. This hearty soup freezes beautifully.

Makes about 1 gallon (4 L), serves 8 to 12

INGREDIENTS

1 pound (455 g) meaty beef bones (neck or shank)

Salt

2 pounds (907 g) beef brisket (or other tough, flavorful cut used for pot roast, such as chuck, bottom round, or boneless short ribs)

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1/2 pound (225 g) carrots, peeled and finely diced or coarsely grated

1 pound (455 g) beets, peeled and finely diced or coarsely grated

1/2 pound (225 g) parsnips, peeled and finely diced or coarsely grated

1 small green cabbage, cored and finely shredded (substitute brussels sprouts)

3 ribs celery with leaves, thinly sliced

1 green pepper, seeded and diced

1 can (28 ounces, or 794 g) tomato purée

1/4 cup (60 ml) beet concentrate (purchased) or 1 small raw beet, peeled and finely grated or processed (optional)

Juice of 2 lemons (about 1/4 cup, or 60 ml)

1/2 cup (26 g) chopped dill (about 1/2 bunch), divided

1/4 cup (38 g) dark brown sugar

Fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup (115 g) sour cream, for garnish

Ingredients for hearty beef borscht with beets and other colorful vegetables

1. Place bones in a soup pot with cold water to cover by about 2 inches (5 cm). Add salt to taste, bring to a boil, and simmer for 3 hours.

2. Skim off the foam protein impurities that rise to the top. At first they will be white in color; as the broth cooks, the color will change to tan.

3. Add the brisket and 6 quarts (6 L) cold water.

4. Bring to a boil and continue to skim off the foam. Simmer uncovered about 11/2 hours, or until the brisket is close to tender when pierced.

5. Scoop out the beef bones and the brisket and cool. (Save the beef bones in the freezer for use in another stock.)

6. When cool, trim off the outer fat layer from the brisket.

7. Use a boning knife to trim away any remaining fat and tough connective tissue from the brisket.

8. Cut the beef into slices, about 1/3-inch (1 cm) thick.

9. Cut the slices into sticks, about 1/3-inch (1 cm) thick.

10. Cut the sticks into small cubes. Reserve.

11. Strain broth through a fine wire chinois, as shown, or through a dampened paper towel set into a sieve, discarding the scum remaining in the sieve.

12. Pour the strained broth into a second (or the cleaned first) pot, leaving behind and discarding the last 1/2 to 1 cup (120 to 235 ml) of liquid, which will contain a lot of sediment.

13. Add the reserved cubed beef, onion, carrots, beets, parsnips, cabbage, celery, green pepper, and tomato purée.

14. Bring the soup to a boil, skimming as needed. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the beef and vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

15. To brighten the color of the soup (the beet tends to turn orange after cooking), add the beet concentrate or the grated beet, if desired.

Add the lemon juice, most of the chopped dill, the dark brown sugar, and pepper to taste.

16. Top the borscht with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle of chopped dill.

17. If brussels sprouts are in season, here shown on the branch that they spiral around when growing, substitute them for all or part of the cabbage. To prepare, trim off the tough bottoms from each sprout and then slice or cut into quarters.

SOUPMAKER’S TIPS

* Wear rubber or food-safe gloves when working with beets to prevent your hands from turning beet red.

* When adding water to any stock or soup, it is preferable to use cold tap water, not hot because hot water is more likely to leach the heavy metal from your plumbing pipes. Using lead to solder pipes wasn’t banned in the United States until 1986, and brass plumbing parts may also contain small amounts of lead. Because of that, the U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) recommends that you do not use water taken from the hot tap for cooking or drinking.

SAVE FOR STOCK:

Cooked beef bones and beef trimmings, onion trimmings, carrot trimmings, beet ends left after grating (they will dye the stock red and lend a sweet flavor, which works well in tomato-based soups but not so well in green soups), tough parsnip cores, celery ends, and dill stems. Discard cabbage cores as their flavor is too strong for stock.