IN THE SEPHARDIC AND MEDITERRANEAN JEWISH KITCHENS, soup was such an everyday affair that recipes were rarely commemorated in text. Many soups call for legumes and meat or vegetables, the better to fill you up. Cooks often made use of leftover bits and pieces of meat and poultry, too, which sometimes turned the dish into a complete meal.
In this chapter, you will find bean and lentil soups, vegetable soups and vegetable purées, and simple broths enriched with rice or matzo and sometimes embellished with beef or chicken meatballs or thickened with egg and lemon. Many of these recipes are easy to assemble, often requiring little more than a long simmer on the stove top, and all are highly satisfying at the table.
Soup with Chickpeas, Pumpkin, and CilantroSOUPE AUX POIS CHICHES, LA COURGE ROUGE, ET CORIANDRE
You will find numerous versions of this hearty classic in Moroccan and Tunisian Jewish kitchens. Some cooks use dried favas or white beans instead of chickpeas, some omit the greens, and still others add bits of cooked meat. This is a stick-to-your-ribs dish and is a full meal when paired with bread or a salad.SERVES 6 TO 8
2¼ cups (1 pound) dried chickpeas
1 large or 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 pounds butternut squash or pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
6 to 8 cups vegetable or chicken broth or water, plus more if needed
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 to 2 bunches Swiss chard, stemmed and leaves cut into narrow strips
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sugar, if needed
Pick over the chickpeas, then place in a bowl, add water to cover, and let soak in the refrigerator overnight. Drain, rinse well, and transfer to a soup pot. Add the onions, carrot, squash, broth to cover, and half of the cilantro and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn down the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the chickpeas and squash are tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from the heat, pass the contents of the pot through a food mill, and return the purée to the pot.
In a saucepan, combine the chard and a little water over medium heat and cook until wilted and tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well and add to the puréed soup.
Reheat the soup over medium-low heat, adding water if needed to thin to a good consistency and stirring often to prevent scorching. Add the cinnamon and season with salt and pepper and with a little sugar to pick up on the sweetness of the squash if needed. Serve hot, sprinkled with the remaining cilantro.
Syrian Lentil SoupSHOURABA IL ADDIS
Syrian and Lebanese Jews like lentil soup with wilted greens and a squeeze of lemon juice. The soup is typically made with lamb broth or water and seasoned with cinnamon or cumin and is occasionally enriched with rice or noodles. Sometimes a stalk or two of chopped rhubarb or a few tablespoons of pomegranate molasses are used in place of, or in addition to, the lemon juice.SERVES 6
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1½ cups)
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 rib celery with leaves, chopped
1⅓ cups (12 ounces) green or brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
8 cups lamb broth or water
1 bunch spinach or Swiss chard
2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
2 small stalks rhubarb, cut into ½-inch pieces (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
Generous pinch of ground allspice or cinnamon
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Warm 3 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and pale gold, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the lentils and broth and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the lentils are very soft, about 45 minutes.
While the lentils are cooking, rinse the spinach or chard. If using chard, separate the leaves and stems, and if using spinach, discard the stems. Cut the spinach or chard and chard stems into narrow strips. Warm the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, rhubarb, cumin, coriander, allspice, and the spinach or chard with just the rinsing water clinging to the leaves and stir to mix well. Turn down the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens wilt, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
When the lentils are tender, add the seasoned greens and simmer over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes to combine the flavors. Season the soup with the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve hot.
Moroccan Fava or Lentil SoupBESSARA
In the Moroccan cities of Fez and Meknes, fava and lentil soups are served during Passover and also at times of mourning. Both legumes are used to make this simple yet flavorful soup known as bessara, which is also the name of a bean purée served as a dip with pita bread. Some cooks garnish the soup with strips of barely cooked celery for a contrasting crunch, while others simmer pieces of cooked beef or lamb sausage along with the beans for a more filling soup.SERVES 6
1 pound dried fava beans or green lentils (about 1¾ cups lentils or 3 cups favas)
2 large cloves garlic, halved lengthwise and any green sprouts removed
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
2 teaspoons ground toasted cumin
½ teaspoon ground turmeric (optional)
Salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup tomato purée (optional)
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (about ⅓ cup)
Fried croutons, fried onions, or chopped fresh mint for garnish
If using fava beans, pick over the beans, then place in a bowl, add water to cover, and let soak overnight. Drain and rinse well. If using unpeeled favas, rub the beans with your fingers to remove the wrinkly skins. If using lentils, pick over and rinse well.
In a saucepan, combine the favas or lentils, garlic, and water to cover by 3 inches and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn down the heat to low and simmer until tender, 45 to 60 minutes for the favas and 30 to 40 minutes for the lentils. Midway through the cooking, add the paprika, cumin, turmeric, salt to taste, and pepper and then stir in the tomato purée, mixing well. Discard the garlic or mash it into the soup.
Continue to simmer as directed until the beans or lentils are tender, stirring in the cilantro during the last few minutes. Serve hot, garnished with the croutons.
Persian Yogurt Soup with Chickpeas, Lentils, and SpinachASH-E MAST
This creamy soup starts with yogurt stabilized with egg and flour to prevent it from breaking. Usually the legumes, rice, and broth are added at the same time and cooked in the soup. Because I am a fiend for texture, I cook the chickpeas, lentils, and rice separately, as their cooking times are different, and then add them at the same time and cook them briefly to blend their flavors. Never let the soup boil or the yogurt will curdle. The jewel-like pomegranate seeds, the yellow turmeric tint to the yogurt, and the green of the herbs and spinach make this soup visually a stunner.SERVES 6
½ cup dried chickpeas
½ cup green lentils
½ cup basmati rice, rinsed, soaked in water to cover for 1 hour, and drained
5 cups vegetable broth or water, or as needed
3 to 4 cups plain Greek yogurt
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼ cups chopped green onions, including green tops
1 pound spinach, stemmed and chopped
5 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pomegranate seeds for garnish
Pick over the chickpeas, then place in a bowl, add water to cover, and let soak in the refrigerator overnight. Drain, rinse well, and transfer to a saucepan. Add water to cover by 3 inches and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to low and simmer until tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Pick over and rinse the lentils, then transfer to a saucepan, add water to cover by 2 to 3 inches, and cook until tender but still slightly firm, 25 to 35 minutes. Drain the chickpeas and lentils and set aside. Cook the rice in 2 cups of the broth or water until the rice is tender but still slightly firm, 10 to 12 minutes. If the rice is ready and there is liquid left in the pan, do not drain the liquid off.
Spoon the yogurt into a large saucepan, using the larger amount if you prefer a creamier soup. Add the egg, flour, turmeric, and cinnamon and whisk together until smooth. Add the rice and the remaining 3 cups broth and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add the cooked chickpeas and lentils, parsley, green onions, spinach, and 3 tablespoons of the mint, stir well, and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes to blend the flavors. Add more broth if the soup is too thick.
Meanwhile, in a small sauté pan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the garlic and sauté until soft but not colored, 1 to 2 minutes. When the soup is ready, add the garlic to the soup, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons mint. Serve hot, garnished with the pomegranate seeds.
Chickpea and Spinach SoupSOPA DE GARVANSOS KON ESPINAKA
Spanish Christians adopted this classic Sephardic soup of chickpeas and spinach after the Inquisition and embellished it with ham or, during Lent, with salt cod. I have taken the liberty of enriching it with a Spanish picada, a mixture of fried bread and garlic, to thicken the broth. If you prefer it soupier, you can thin it with broth or water after adding the picada.
The Portuguese prepare a similar soup called sopa de grão com espinafres, but it does not include a picada for thickening. Instead, it is thickened by puréeing half of the cooked chickpeas and then returning the purée to the pot. The soup is garnished with chopped cilantro.SERVES 6 TO 8
2 cups (14 ounces) dried chickpeas
7 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
2 yellow onions, peeled and left whole
1 bay leaf
Salt
1½ pounds spinach, stemmed, rinsed, and coarsely chopped (5 to 6 cups)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 slices coarse country bread, crusts removed
Pinch of saffron threads
Vegetable broth or water, if needed
Freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces salt cod fillet, soaked in water for 24 to 36 hours in the refrigerator, changing the water three times, then cooked and broken up into bite-size pieces (optional)
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
Pick over the chickpeas, then place in a bowl, add water to cover, and let soak in the refrigerator overnight. Drain, rinse well, transfer to a soup pot, and add water to cover by 3 inches, 4 of the garlic cloves, the onions, and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat, turn down the heat to low, and simmer until tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons salt after the first 15 minutes of cooking.
When the chickpeas are tender, remove from the heat, then remove and reserve the onions and garlic and remove and discard the bay leaf. Pour off 1 cup of the cooking liquid and reserve. Leave the remaining liquid in the pot with the chickpeas.
Put the spinach in a large saucepan with only the rinsing water clinging to the leaves, place over medium-low heat, and cook until wilted and tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
To make the picada, warm the oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bread and the remaining 3 garlic cloves and fry, turning as needed, until the bread is golden on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Break up the bread, add the bread, garlic, and saffron to a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Add the reserved cooked onions and garlic cloves and the reserved 1 cup cooking liquid and purée until smooth.
Add the purée and the spinach to the pot holding the chickpeas, stir well, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. If the mixture is too thick, thin with the broth as needed. Season to taste with salt and with lots of pepper. Add the salt cod and warm through. Serve hot, garnished with the eggs.
Red Lentil SoupSOPA DE LENTEJA KOLORADA
When served during the nine days of Tisha B’Av, this Sephardic lentil soup is traditionally accompanied with boyos de kezo (page 69) or other small cheese pastries for a complete meal. But you don’t need a holiday to serve this soup. The original Sephardic recipe is rather plain, so I like to add a little ground cumin, a small pinch of hot pepper, and some lemon juice to brighten it. You have other options, as well. Greek Jews pass oil and vinegar at the table for diners to add as they wish. At a dairy meal, Turkish Jews might thin the soup with milk and garnish it with croutons and mint, or they might finish it with hot melted butter, Aleppo pepper flakes, and dried mint. Syrian Jews ladle the soup over a spoonful of cooked rice placed in the bottom of each bowl and set out a plate of lemon wedges.SERVES 6
1½ cups red lentils
¼ cup olive oil
2 yellow onions, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 to 2 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped, or 2 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 bay leaf
8 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
1 to 2 teaspoons ground toasted cumin
1 to 2 pinches of Aleppo or Maras pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh lemon juice for seasoning
Pick over the lentils, then place in a bowl, add water to cover, and let soak for a few hours. Drain and rinse well.
Warm the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, tomatoes, lentils, parsley, bay leaf, and water and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 1 hour.
Remove and discard the bay leaf. Add the salt and the cumin, pepper flakes, black pepper, and lemon juice to taste. Serve hot.
Lentil Soup with MeatballsMINESTRA DI ESAU
In Italy, Esau’s biblical “mess of pottage” is a delicious lentil soup enriched with little meatballs. You can use brown or green lentils. The brown variety is more readily available and cooks and breaks down more quickly, but if you want the lentils to hold their texture, use green lentils from Italy, France, or Spain.SERVES 8
2 cups (about 1 pound) green or brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
3 large yellow onions, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 cup tomato purée or sauce
⅓ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 pound ground beef (not too lean)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons rendered chicken or goose fat or margarine
In a large saucepan, combine the lentils, onions, carrots, celery, tomato purée, parsley, and water to cover by about 2 inches and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn down the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the lentils are firm-tender, about 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, season the beef with salt and pepper and shape into marble-size meatballs. Melt the fat in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and brown on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. The meatballs should still be raw in the center.
When the lentils are ready, add the meatballs and the fat from the pan to the soup and simmer until the lentils are tender and the meatballs are cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.
ROMAN VARIATION:
Roman cooks insert a tiny piece of beef marrow into the center of each meatball; simmer the meatballs in meat broth until cooked through, about 15 minutes; and then add them and their broth to the finished lentil soup and simmer for 5 minutes to meld the flavors.
Venetian Bean Soup with Pasta and MeatballsPASTA E FAGIOLI ALLA VENETA
Here’s a Venetian version of pasta e fagioli, called fasoi co la luganega in dialect, that calls for fresh pasta and for homemade beef sausage shaped into meatballs. It is an interpretation of a recipe in La cucina nella tradizione ebraica and is a wonderfully homey and filling bean soup that can be a meal-in-a-bowl. If you like, add 2 cups chopped cooked Swiss chard, escarole, or frisée during the last 10 minutes of cooking.SERVES 6 TO 8
1¾ cups (about 14 ounces) dried borlotti or white beans, picked over and rinsed
7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 yellow onions, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
Beef Sausage (page 350)
12 ounces fresh fettuccine, cut into maltagliati (irregular 1½-inch pieces)
About 2 cups meat broth
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Place the beans in a saucepan with cold water to cover generously and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour. Drain the beans well, return them to the pan, add fresh water to cover, and again bring to a boil.
While the beans are heating, warm 4 tablespoons of the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the vegetables and oil to the beans, return the beans to a boil, turn down the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the beans are very tender, about 1½ hours.
Meanwhile, make the sausage mixture, shape into tiny meatballs about ¾ inch in diameter, and cover and refrigerate until needed.
When the beans are ready, remove them from the heat. Scoop out and reserve about 2 cups beans. Let the remaining beans cool slightly; then, in batches, transfer them to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Transfer the purée, the reserved whole beans, and any cooking liquid to a large saucepan and bring to a boil. If the mixture is too thick, thin with hot water.
While the soup is reheating, cook the pasta in boiling water until al dente, then drain. At the same time, in a saucepan, bring the broth to a gentle boil over medium heat, add the meatballs, and poach until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Add the pasta, the meatballs and their broth, and the salt and pepper to the soup and simmer gently for 10 minutes to blend the flavors, stirring with a wooden spoon to prevent scorching. If the soup begins to thicken too much, add a little hot water from time to time.
Just before serving, taste and adjust the seasoning. Ladle into bowls, drizzle with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, and finish with a grind of pepper.
White Bean SoupSOPA DE AVIKAS
A soupy version of a classic one-pot Spanish Sabbath dish, this recipe from Salonika uses beef and white beans and is part of the cocido (stew) or adafina (bean-and-meat stew) tradition. It can be quite thick and stew-like or thinned and served as a filling soup. After the Inquisition, pork was substituted for beef in the recipe as a test for conversos. If they would not eat it, it was obvious that they had not converted. The Greeks serve this soup with lemon wedges, as the acidity cuts the richness. I sometimes add a pinch of ground cinnamon with the tomatoes.SERVES 6
1 pound stewing beef, chuck, or meat from the shank or brisket, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup dried white beans, picked over, rinsed, and soaked in water to cover overnight
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 yellow onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 3 cups drained, seeded, and chopped canned tomatoes
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lemon wedges for finishing (optional)
In a saucepan, combine the beef with water to cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook, skimming off any scum that forms on the surface, for 10 minutes. Turn down the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the meat is cooked through and starting to soften, 30 to 40 minutes.
Drain the beans, transfer to a saucepan, and add water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes, then drain and add to the meat.
Warm the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes break down and form a sauce, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato mixture to the beans and meat, stir well, cover, and simmer over low heat until the meat and beans are tender, 45 to 60 minutes.
If you like, thin the soup with water, then stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and finish with a squeeze of lemon juice.
Lemony Bean and Rice Soup for Yom KippurHARIRA DE KIPPOUR
Harira, also spelled h’rira and h’riba, is the traditional Moroccan soup served by Muslims and Jews alike to break a fast, whether it be Ramadan or Yom Kippur. The variables are the amount of lentils, chickpeas, and rice or pasta and the choice of beef, lamb, or chicken. The soup is thickened at the end with flour and its flavor is brightened with lemon juice. Some versions call for eggs mixed with lemon juice for thickening rather than flour. In Morocco, the fast is ended with a bite of a sweet date and then the soup. Although you can put all of the ingredients into the pot and cook them together, I like to prepare the chickpeas and lentils separately to control their texture. Dried fava beans (look for peeled ones) can be used in place of the chickpeas.SERVES 8
1 cup dried chickpeas
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces beef or lamb shank meat, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 yellow onions, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon saffron threads, steeped in 2 tablespoons hot water
3 cups water
1½ cups brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
½ cup white rice, orzo, pastina, or broken spaghetti
4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped (fresh or canned)
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (about ⅓ cup)
1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (about ⅓ cup)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, dissolved in ¼ cup water (optional)
Juice of 1 or 2 lemons
Pick over the chickpeas, then place in a bowl, add water to cover, and let soak in the refrigerator overnight. Drain, rinse well, and transfer to a 1-quart saucepan. Add water to cover by 3 inches and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn down the heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender but not falling apart, about 1 hour. Remove from the heat, salt lightly, and set aside. You should have about 1½ cups beans and not too much liquid.
While the chickpeas are cooking, warm the oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the meat and brown on all sides. Add the onions, celery, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, and saffron infusion and stir for 1 minute. Add water to cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a 3-quart soup pot, bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the lentils, turn down the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes, then add the rice and cook for 10 minutes longer.
Transfer the meat and onion mixture and its cooking juices to the lentils, then add the cooked chickpeas, tomatoes, and half each of the cilantro and parsley. Simmer gently, uncovered, until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes longer. If you want to thicken the soup, gradually stir in the flour paste and then whisk continuously over low heat until absorbed. Add the lemon juice and the rest of the cilantro and parsley and season to taste with salt and with lots of pepper. (The soup should be peppery.) Ladle into bowls and serve hot.
Rosh Hashanah Seven-Vegetable SoupSOPA DE LA SIETE VERDURAS
In Marrakech la Rouge, Hélène Gans Perez reminisces about the soupe aux sept légumes that was part of her family’s Rosh Hashanah tradition. The seven vegetables are onion, pumpkin, gourd, zucchini, Swiss chard, chickpeas, and quince. I could not get over how closely it resembles the Andalusian soup called olla gitana, or “gypsy stew,” which uses pears instead of quinces. I suspect that the gypsy title was added after the Inquisition to conceal the soup’s Jewish origin. The recipe has remained in the culinary pipeline. Today in Spain, ham is added to flavor the broth, but before the Inquisition, the soup was most likely made with beef. If you cannot find a vegetable marrow (large summer squash), turnip or rutabaga would be a good substitute. You can add diced cooked brisket to the basic vegetable soup for a more filling dish. In Tétouan, Moroccan cooks add greens along with the pumpkin and use white beans instead of chickpeas.SERVES 6 TO 8
⅔ cup dried chickpeas
3 yellow onions, chopped
8 cups beef or vegetable broth
2 pounds pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and seeded
3 zucchini
1 small vegetable marrow
2 apples, quinces, or pears, peeled, cored, and diced
1 bunch Swiss chard, stemmed and greens cut into strips
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt
Sugar, if needed
Pick over the chickpeas, then place in a bowl, add water to cover, and let soak in the refrigerator overnight. Drain, rinse well, and transfer to a saucepan. Add the onions and broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn down the heat to low, and simmer until the chickpeas are almost tender, about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the pumpkin, zucchini, marrow, and apples into rounds, quarter rounds, or large dice, depending on their size and shape. When the chickpeas are ready, add the freshly cut vegetables, the apples, and the chard to the pan and season with the pepper, cumin, cinnamon, and salt. Simmer until the vegetables and chickpeas are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and spices and add a little sugar to balance the flavors if needed. Serve hot.
Meat and Vegetable Soup with Plums, Georgian StyleMIJAVYANI
I discovered this deliciously lively Georgian-style soup in a Sephardic Turkish cookbook. Mijavyani is the Georgian name, but in Turkish it is called erikli sebze çorbası. Greengage plums add both sweetness and tartness to the herb-scented beef, onion, and rice soup, though in true Turkish Sephardic tradition, lemon juice is also added. If you don’t have any leftover cooked stewing beef, you can gently simmer 1 pound beef chuck or brisket, cut into 1-inch pieces, in broth or water to cover for about 1½ hours and then add the meat and cooking liquid to the soup. And if you cannot find greengage plums, any tart plum will do.SERVES 6
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 yellow onions, chopped, or 2 bunches green onions, including green tops, chopped
½ pound greengage plums, pitted and chopped
1 bunch fresh dill, chopped (about ⅓ cup)
1 medium-large bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (about ½ cup)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
¼ cup long-grain white rice
4 to 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons tomato paste
3 cups cooked stewing beef, in bite-size pieces
Beef broth or water to cover
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Warm the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent and tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the plums, half each of the dill and parsley, the mint, the rice, lemon juice to taste, sugar, tomato paste, beef, and broth to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, turn down the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the remaining dill and parsley.
Leek Soup with MushroomsSOPA DE PRASA
This Sephardic soup from Rhodes, which is traditionally thickened with egg and lemon and is often served at Passover, is very much like purrusalda, a popular Spanish leek soup seasoned with paprika and occasionally garnished with salt cod.SERVES 4 TO 6
6 leeks
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
4 large boiling potatoes, peeled and diced
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth or water
½ cup chopped fresh dill
2 eggs
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Remove most of the green from the leeks, then halve lengthwise and cut crosswise into pieces about ¾ inch thick. Immerse in a sink filled with cold water, then lift out and drain well.
Warm the oil in a wide 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, salting once and stirring often, until they have lost most of their sour root flavor, about 15 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes. Then add the potatoes and broth, raise the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add half of the dill, season with salt and pepper, and mix well. The soup can be prepared up to this point, cooled, and refrigerated for up to 1 day. It should be chunky and a bit brothy. If it thickens while sitting, thin it with more broth or water.
If the soup has been refrigerated, bring it to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Taste the soup. If it is slightly sour, you will want to use the smaller amount of lemon juice and omit the remaining dill. Beat the eggs and lemon juice until very frothy. Gradually beat about 1 cup of the hot soup into the egg mixture to temper and warm the eggs, then slowly add the egg mixture to the simmering soup while whisking constantly.
Remove from the heat, add the remaining dill, if using, and serve hot. Once the eggs have been added, the soup cannot be reheated.
Leek and Potato Soup with Almonds and Mint
My inspiration for this soup was the Sephardic leek and potato soup on page 126, minus the earthy mushrooms and egg-lemon tartness. I wanted to take the soup in a sweeter direction by adding almonds, a classic Hispano-Arabic accent, to counteract the natural sourness of the leeks. You have two options for incorporating the almond flavor. You can use the nuts as a garnish or you can steep them in the cream and then purée the cream along with the soup. When used only as a garnish, they add a nice surface sweetness and keep their toasty character. But when the nuts are steeped in the cream, the sweetness they add is more intense. The nutmeg and mint are also welcome sweet accents.SERVES 6 TO 8
½ cup almonds, toasted, if making almond cream, plus more for garnish
1 cup heavy cream
8 large leeks
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 boiling potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups vegetable broth
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
If making the almond cream, in a small saucepan, combine the almonds and cream and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and steep for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, remove most of the green from the leeks, then halve lengthwise and cut crosswise into slices about ¼ inch thick. Immerse in a sink filled with cold water, then lift out and drain well.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 15 minutes. Add the potatoes and broth, raise the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are soft, 15 to 20 minutes.
If using the almond cream, remove the soup from the heat and let cool slightly. In batches, combine the soup and the almond cream in a blender and purée until smooth. Transfer to a clean saucepan, place over medium heat, and bring to a simmer. Add the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.
If not using the almond cream, purée the soup and cream in the blender until smooth, then reheat to a simmer and season with the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the almonds and mint.
Green Purée for PassoverVELOUTÉ VERT DE PESSAH
I apologize in advance for asking you to shell 5 pounds of fava beans, then peel the beans and then shell 2½ pounds of English peas. But this soup is worth the effort. The recipe is from Fleur de safran: Images et saveurs du Maroc by Jacqueline Cohen-Azuelos. The lovely green color doesn’t fade in the cooking process because half of the cilantro is added after the soup is cooked.
For a richer soup, use the chicken broth instead of water. You can of course make this soup without the giblet garnish, but I find it to be a flavorful addition that also provides an interesting textural contrast.SERVES 6
5 pounds fresh fava beans
2½ pounds English peas
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (about ⅓ cup)
4 cups water or chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons peanut or olive oil
8 ounces chicken or other poultry giblets (hearts and gizzards), cut into small pieces
1 cup chicken broth
Shell the fava beans. Bring a saucepan filled with water to a boil, add the favas, and blanch for about 1 minute. Drain and remove the tough outer skin from each bean. You should have about 4½ cups. Shell the peas. You should have about 2½ cups.
In a soup pot, combine the favas, peas, carrot, onion, celery, half of the cilantro, and the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer, skimming off any foam from the surface, until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. In batches, transfer the soup to a blender, add the remaining cilantro, and purée until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Return the soup to the soup pot and set aside.
Warm the oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the giblets and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in the broth and deglaze the pan, stirring to dislodge any browned bits from the pan bottom. Turn down the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the giblets are tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
To serve, gently reheat the soup over medium-low heat. (If the giblets have cooled, reheat gently in the broth, as well.) Divide the giblets evenly among the bowls and ladle the hot soup over them.
Purim Artichoke SoupCREMA DI CARCIOFI ESTER
The repertoire of dishes made with artichokes in the Jewish Italian kitchen is particularly large. In the market in the old Jewish quarter in Rome, I asked a woman why this was the case and she answered, “Well, artichokes are bitter, and that’s part of our heritage.” This artichoke soup, from the dairy section of La cucina nella tradizione ebraica, is named after Esther, Queen of Persia, and is served at Purim, a joyful holiday that commemorates Esther’s triumph over the evil minister Haman and her rescue of the Jews. Although it was traditionally thickened with besciamella, the classic cream sauce, you can make a less rich version by using rice or potato as a thickening agent and adding only broth, or perhaps a little milk or cream in addition to the broth for thinning. Be patient, as the artichoke flavor needs a few hours to develop.SERVES 6 TO 8
Juice of 1 lemon
12 artichokes
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 ounces russet potatoes, peeled and diced, or ½ cup white rice
3 cups vegetable broth, plus more for thinning as needed
Milk or heavy cream as needed for thinning (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped toasted hazelnuts or pine nuts or chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or mint for garnish
Have ready a large bowl of water to which you have added the lemon juice. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, trim the stem to 2 inches if it is tender, then peel away the dark green fibrous outer layer. If the stem is tough, trim it off flush with the bottom. Pull off and discard all of the leaves. Pare away the dark green areas from the base. Cut the artichoke in half lengthwise and carefully remove the choke from each half with a small pointed spoon or a paring knife. Then cut each half lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices and slip them into the lemon water.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Drain the artichokes, add to the pan, and sauté for a few minutes. Add the garlic, potatoes, and about 1½ cups of the broth or enough just to cover the artichokes. Cover the pan and simmer over medium heat until the artichokes are very tender and almost falling apart, 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. In batches, transfer to a food processor and purée until smooth, then return the purée to the saucepan. Add the remaining 1½ cups broth and reheat, adding more broth if needed to achieve a consistency you like. At this point, you can also add a little milk or cream if you prefer a richer soup. Season with salt and pepper. The artichoke flavor intensifies as the soup sits, so it’s best to make the soup a few hours ahead of time, or even a day before, and reheat it at serving time. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the hazelnuts.
VARIATION:
To make an even richer version of this soup, make a besciamella with 2 tablespoons each unsalted butter and all-purpose flour and 1 cup milk and use it in place of the 1½ cups broth added to the purée. You may still need to thin the soup with a little broth.
Asparagus Soup with Saffron from the VenetoCREMA DI ASPARAGI ALLO ZAFFERANO
One reason this Passover soup is so delicious is because there are no onions to mask the clean asparagus flavor. Use margarine or olive oil for a meat-based meal.SERVES 6
4½ to 5 cups vegetable broth
¼ teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
3½ to 4 pounds asparagus
4 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine
1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
⅓ cup pistachio nuts, toasted and coarsely chopped (optional)
In a small saucepan, bring ½ cup of the broth to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the saffron, and let steep for 15 minutes.
Have ready an ice-water bath. Trim off the tough stem ends from the asparagus, then cut the spears into 2-inch pieces and reserve the tips. Bring a saucepan filled with salted water to a boil, add the tips, and boil for 3 minutes. Drain, then immerse the tips in the ice-water bath to refresh. Drain and set aside.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the asparagus stalks and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the potato, saffron infusion, and 4 cups of the broth and bring to a boil, Turn down the heat to low and simmer until the asparagus and potato are very soft, about 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. In batches, transfer soup to a blender and purée until smooth, then return the purée to the saucepan. Reheat to a gentle simmer and add the remaining ½ cup broth if needed to achieve the consistency you like. Season with salt and pepper. The asparagus flavor intensifies if the soup is set aside for an hour or so before serving.
To serve, return the soup to medium heat, add the asparagus tips, and reheat until hot. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the parsley and nuts.
Turkish Carrot SoupHAVUÇ ÇORBASI
Carrot soups can be starchy and overly filling or too pallid to make an impression, unless the carrots are flavorful. This version is wonderfully delicate, light, and creamy and is unusual in that it doesn’t have the cooked onions that are used as a flavor base in most soups. Here, success depends on the carrots.SERVES 6
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound sweet carrots, peeled and sliced or chopped
4 cups water or broth
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sugar, if needed
3 tablespoons each chopped fresh dill and finely chopped toasted walnuts, or 3 tablespoons each chopped fresh mint and almonds (optional)
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrots and cook, stirring, until well coated with the butter. Add 2 cups of the water and the 1 teaspoon dill, bring to a simmer, and simmer until the carrots are very soft, 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. In batches, transfer to a blender or food processor and purée until smooth, then return the purée to the saucepan. Add the remaining 2 cups water and heat to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat the egg yolks until blended. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, remove from the heat, and stir in the flour. Whisk in the milk, stirring until smooth. Return the pan to medium heat and simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk a little of the hot sauce into the egg yolks to temper and warm them, then whisk the yolks into the milk mixture.
Gradually whisk a little of the hot soup into the milk–egg yolk mixture, then whisk the milk–egg yolk mixture into the remaining soup. Continue to whisk until well blended and piping hot. Do not allow the soup to boil or it will curdle. Season to taste with salt and pepper and with a little sugar if needed to heighten the sweetness. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the dill and walnuts.
Roasted Eggplant SoupPATLICAN ÇORBASI
Sephardic Jews in Turkey and those from the Middle East love the smoky flavor of eggplant cooked over a flame, which is why they enjoy this soup. Iranian cooks add 1 teaspoon ground turmeric and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon to the onions and 1 cup cooked browned lentils to the puréed soup. If you find the smokiness too intense, add some cream to the soup, or roast all of the eggplants in the oven.SERVES 6 TO 8
4 globe eggplants (12 to 14 ounces each)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, sliced
4 cups vegetable broth, plus more if needed to thin
½ cup heavy cream (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Plain yogurt for garnish (optional)
Chopped fresh mint or flat-leaf parsley for garnish (optional)
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prick 2 of the eggplants with a fork in a few places so they don’t burst, then put them on a sheet pan and slip the pan into the oven. Roast the eggplants, turning them a few times to ensure even cooking, until they are soft throughout when pierced with a knife, 45 to 60 minutes. Transfer to a colander to drain and cool.
Position a rack several inches from the heat source and preheat the broiler. Place the remaining 2 eggplants on a sheet pan and broil, turning occasionally, until the skin is charred on all sides and the interior is fully tender, about 20 minutes. Alternatively, cook the eggplants on a heavy griddle or grill pan over medium heat on the stove top, turning them occasionally, until charred on all sides and fully tender. This may take a little less time. Transfer the eggplants to a colander to drain and cool. (If you like the smoky flavor of the stove-top eggplant, you can cook all of the eggplants on a griddle or grill pan.)
When all of the eggplants are cool enough to handle, transfer them to a cutting board, cut them in half, scoop out the pulp, and discard the skin. Discard any large seed pockets.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the broth and eggplant pulp, raise the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to medium and simmer the soup for a few minutes.
Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. In batches, purée the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour the soup into a clean saucepan, reheat over medium-low heat, and thin with broth if needed to achieve the consistency you like. If the eggplant flavor is too smoky for your palate, stir in the cream. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish each serving with a dollop of yogurt and some mint.
Tomato and Rice SoupDOMATESLI PIRINÇ ÇORBASI
Esin Eden collaborated with Nicholas Stavroulakis on her book Salonika: A Family Cookbook, a collection of recipes from the mysterious Ma’min Jewish sect from Turkey that settled in Salonika. They were followers of the renegade rabbi Sabbatai Zevi and eventually became Muslims, so while their basic recipes were of Jewish origin, they showed a casual disregard for following the rule of no dairy with meat. For example, this recipe for tomato soup used butter with chicken broth. I have adjusted it (and any others I have adapted from the book) to stay within the kosher laws. Use margarine or oil if you use chicken broth, or butter if you use vegetable broth.SERVES 4 TO 6
2 tablespoons olive oil or margarine, or butter if using vegetable broth
3 pounds very ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
3 to 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
¼ cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Lemon wedges for serving
Warm the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring often and smashing them down with a wooden spoon, until they break down completely into a purée, 10 to 15 minutes.
In a separate saucepan, bring the broth just to a simmer. Add 3 cups of the hot broth and the rice to the tomatoes, raise the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer until the rice is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
If the soup is too thick, thin with the remaining broth. Season the soup with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley. Serve hot, accompanied with the lemon wedges.
Penny SoupMANGIR ÇORBASI
A mangir was an Ottoman coin of very low value. In Turkey, the homemade pasta used in soup was a small, thin, round egg noodle called farfur, which was reminiscent of a coin, thus the English name of this soup. Mangır çorbası is a classic avgolemono soup with noodles. You can use broken vermicelli or a small pasta such as orzo in place of the homemade pasta. The use of both the egg-and-lemon mixture and the accompanying lemon wedges makes this soup especially tart.
This Ma’min recipe, like the Tomato and Rice Soup on page 133, is from Esin Eden. This same soup made with rice instead of noodles is called sopa de huevo y limon in Salonika and was commonly eaten to break the Yom Kippur fast. Elsewhere in Greece and in Turkey during Passover, a similar soup is made with broken matzo in place of noodles and is called sodra by Turks and sorda by Moroccans (recipe follows).SERVES 4 TO 6
2 tablespoons margarine
1½ cups orzo, pastina, or other small pasta or broken vermicelli
4 cups meat or poultry broth, plus more if needed, heated
2 eggs
Juice of 2 lemons
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or flat-leaf parsley
Lemon wedges for serving (optional)
Melt the margarine in a saucepan over medium heat. Add half of the pasta and cook, stirring, until pale gold, about 5 minutes. Add the hot broth and the remaining uncooked pasta, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook until the pasta is tender, 8 to 10 minutes longer. If the soup is too thick, thin with more broth.
In a bowl, beat together the eggs and lemon juice until very frothy. Gradually beat about 1 cup of the hot soup into the egg mixture to temper and warm the eggs, then slowly add the egg mixture to the soup while whisking constantly. Simmer for a minute or two, but do not allow the soup to boil or it will curdle. Season with salt and pepper, then ladle into bowls, garnish with the mint, and serve hot. Pass the lemon wedges at the table.
Passover Matzo Soup with Meat, Peas, and FavasSORDA
Here is how the classic Passover matzo soup is prepared in Casablanca and Safi. Some recipes add diced tomatoes and chopped cilantro to the mix, as well.SERVES 6 TO 8
1½ pounds boneless beef, lamb, or chicken, cut into small pieces
8 cups chicken or meat broth
¼ cup olive oil
¼ teaspoon saffron threads
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1½ cups shelled English peas (from about 1½ pounds)
1½ cups shelled fresh fava beans (from about 1¾ pounds), blanched in boiling water for about 1 minute, drained, and peeled
3 eggs (optional)
3 or 4 matzos
In a saucepan, combine the meat, broth, oil, and saffron and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, turn down the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the meat is half-cooked, 15 to 30 minutes. The timing will depend on the meat. Add the peas and favas, re-cover, and continue to cook until the meat and vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes longer.
In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until very frothy, then gradually add them to the gently simmering soup while stirring constantly. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. To serve, break up the matzos, put them in a soup tureen or individual bowls, and ladle the hot soup over the top.
Greek Garlic SoupSKORDOZOUMI
Skordo is “garlic” in Greek. Unlike the Spanish sopa de ajo and the Portuguese sopa de alho, both of which add only eggs for thickening, Nicholas Stavroulakis’s Greek version adds yogurt and feta cheese along with the eggs to thicken and enrich the basic soup. This soup may be related to the famous sopa Maimónides mentioned as a specialty of the Andalusian Jews in Pepita Aris’s A Flavor of Andalusia, but now with a Middle Eastern addition. In the Sephardic cookbook published by Temple Or VeShalom in Atlanta, this soup is called pappa, a term that probably refers more to the bread than to the garlic. In that version, much less garlic is used, milk replaces the yogurt, and lots of croutons are added.SERVES 4
3 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 head garlic, cloves separated, peeled, and cut into thin slivers
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces feta cheese, finely crumbled
1 cup plain yogurt, vigorously stirred until creamy
2 eggs, beaten until very frothy
2 to 4 slices bread, crusts removed, toasted, and cut into croutons
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish (optional)
In a saucepan, combine the water, oil, and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn down the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn down the heat to very low, add the cheese and yogurt, and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Do not allow the mixture to boil.
Remove from the heat, wait for 1 to 2 minutes, and then gradually add the eggs while whisking constantly. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish generously with the croutons. If you want a bit of color, finish with a little parsley.
Sephardic Meatball SoupSOPA DE ALBÓNDIGAS
I found this recipe in Sefarad Yemekleri, a book of recipes compiled by the Turkish Jewish community in Istanbul. The word albóndiga is Spanish for “meatball” and is Arabic in origin, from al bundaq, meaning “round.” In this version of sopa de albóndigas, the meatballs are cooked directly in the soup and are not browned first. I like to season them with grated onion and a little cinnamon to add intrigue.SERVES 4 TO 6
1 pound ground beef or lamb
1 large slice coarse country bread, crust removed, soaked in water, and squeezed dry
¼ cup grated yellow onion
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 to 7 cups water or meat broth
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
4 boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into batons ¼ inch wide and thick and 1½ inches long
3 carrots, peeled and cut into batons ¼ inch wide and thick and 1 ½ inches long
½ cup chopped celery leaves
In a bowl, combine the meat, bread, onion, and cinnamon, season with salt and pepper, and then knead with your hands until it holds together. Fry a nugget in a small sauté pan, taste, and adjust the seasoning if needed. Shape the mixture into tiny meatballs about ¾ inch in diameter. Set aside.
In a saucepan, bring the water and oil to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and carrots, turn down the heat to medium, and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add the meatballs and continue to simmer until the vegetables are tender and the meatballs are cooked through, about 10 minutes longer. Serve hot, garnished with the celery leaves.
VARIATION:
To thicken and enrich the soup, just before serving, whisk together 2 egg yolks and ¼ cup fresh lemon juice in a bowl until very frothy. Gradually whisk in about ¾ cup of the hot soup to temper the egg yolks, then gradually stir the yolk mixture into the soup over low heat and cook for about 1 minute. Do not allow to boil.
Italian Passover Soup with Chicken Dumplings and EggsPOLPETTE E UOVA PER PESACH
When I was a little girl, my family lived near a kosher chicken market. We would select the chicken and the butcher would kill and clean it while we waited. If we were lucky, inside the bird was a treasure of unborn eggs. I loved those tiny egg yolks, which we poached in chicken soup, because when I bit into them, they popped in my mouth. In days gone by, Italian Jews added these immature eggs to the chicken soup they served at Passover. Rice and little “meatballs” made of chicken and matzo meal went into the soup, as well. I remember those tiny eggs with great nostalgia, for today they are nowhere to be found. To revive the memory, I separate eggs, slide the yolks onto a saucer, slip them into the broth, and poach them gently until barely set, hoping they don’t break.
Some Italian Jews prefer to make the much easier minestra dayenu (dayenu is Hebrew for “that would have been enough”), in which 4 egg yolks and 4 matzos, broken into pieces, are stirred into chicken broth that has been highly flavored with cinnamon.SERVES 8
1 large whole boneless chicken breast, ground (about 10 ounces)
1 egg, lightly beaten
⅓ cup matzo meal
Generous pinch of ground cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 to 10 cups chicken broth
1 cup long-grain white rice
8 hard-boiled egg yolks, chopped, or 8 raw whole eggs (optional)
In a bowl, combine the chicken, beaten egg, matzo meal, cinnamon, and a pinch each of salt and pepper and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour, which will make the mixture easier to shape.
To shape the dumplings, dip a spoon into cold water, scoop up a little of the chilled mixture, and, with dampened hands, shape it into a walnut-size ball. Set aside on a platter. Repeat with the remaining mixture, dipping the spoon in cold water before each scoop, then refrigerate the balls until ready to cook.
In a large saucepan, bring the broth to a boil over high heat. Add the rice and chicken balls, turn down the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender and the chicken balls are cooked through, about 20 minutes. Ladle into shallow bowls and garnish with the hard-boiled egg yolks. Or, if using the raw eggs, separate them, reserving the whites for a Passover cake, and then carefully poach the yolks in the broth until semifirm and include a yolk in each bowl.
Persian Chicken Soup with Chicken DumplingsGONDI
Persian cooks use chickpea flour, rather than matzo meal, to make the dumplings for this soup. Unlike matzo balls, which are first cooked in salted water and then added to soup, these dumplings are cooked directly in the soup. In Iran, dried Omani limes add a pleasant tartness to the soup.SERVES 6 TO 8
BROTH
one 4-pound stewing chicken, or 4 pounds chicken parts, such as drumsticks and thighs
4 quarts water
2 yellow onions, halved
3 carrots, halved
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
3 dried Omani limes, rinsed and struck with a meat pounder so they crack
DUMPLINGS
1 large or 2 medium yellow onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground chicken
1 cup toasted chickpea flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups drained cooked chickpeas (optional)
2 cups cooked diced carrot (optional)
1 cup chopped fresh dill or flat-leaf parsley, or a mixture
Lemon wedges for serving
To make the broth, if using a whole chicken, cut into parts. Trim off and discard any excess fat from the chicken parts. Put the chicken pieces in a large stockpot and add the water. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, skimming off any foam that forms on the surface. Turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer gently, skimming the surface as needed, for 30 minutes. Add the onions, carrots, turmeric, and limes and continue to simmer gently for 2 hours longer.
Remove from the heat. Have ready a large ice-water bath. Using a slotted spoon or wire skimmer, remove and discard the solids from the broth. Line a fine-mesh sieve with dampened cheesecloth, place over a large bowl, and strain the broth through the sieve. Place the bowl in the ice bath and let the broth cool completely. Then, using a spoon, lift off and discard the fat from the surface. To concentrate the flavor of the broth, transfer the broth to a large saucepan, bring it to a low boil, and boil, skimming if needed, until it has reduced and is more flavorful. Set the broth aside.
To make the dumplings, in a food processor, combine the onions and garlic and process until reduced to a purée. Add the chicken, flour, egg, turmeric, cardamom, parsley, salt, pepper, and oil and pulse just until evenly mixed. If the mixture is dry, add a bit of water. To make shaping the dumplings easier, transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
To shape the dumplings, dip a spoon into cold water, scoop up a little of the chilled mixture, and, with dampened hands, shape it into a walnut-size ball. Set aside on a platter. Repeat with the remaining mixture, dipping the spoon in cold water before each scoop, then refrigerate the dumplings until ready to cook.
To serve, bring the broth to a boil over high heat. Drop the dumplings into the broth, turn down the heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes. Test a dumpling for doneness. The dumplings are ready when they are tender but still firm in the center. They may take as long as 1 hour to cook. Add the chickpeas and carrots to the broth during the last 15 minutes of cooking. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt.
Spoon a few dumplings and some chickpeas and carrot into each bowl and ladle the broth on top. Garnish with the dill and pass the lemon wedges at the table.
Oven-Baked Endive SoupINDIVIA REHAMINA
In style, this Roman recipe resembles a panada, or layered bread soup. Broth, vegetables, and bread are layered in a heavy pan and baked in the oven (the hamin) until the bread absorbs most of the broth, creating a cakey mixture that is eaten with a spoon. The pleasantly bitter curly endive (sometimes known as chicory) can be replaced by escarole.SERVES 4 TO 6
4 cups meat or vegetable broth
2 large heads curly endive, chopped
Slices day-old coarse country bread, as needed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese for serving, if using vegetable broth
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
In a wide, heavy saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, bring the broth to a boil over high heat. Add the endive and wilt quickly, then cover the greens with the bread slices in a single layer. Remove from the heat, cover the pan, and place in the oven. Bake until almost all of the broth is absorbed, 45 to 60 minutes.
Remove from the oven and season with salt and pepper. To serve, scoop out into shallow bowls. If you have used vegetable broth, sprinkle with Parmesan. If you have used a meat broth, serve as is.
Passover Matzo SoupZUPPA DI AZZIME
This is a cross between a panada, an Italian layered bread soup, and a schacchi or mina, a layered matzo pie served during Passover throughout the Sephardic world.SERVES 6
2 to 3 tablespoons rendered chicken or goose fat or margarine
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 cup tomato sauce
2 cups chopped cooked meat
1 cup cooked English peas
2 cups chopped cooked spinach (about 2 pounds uncooked)
6 to 8 cups meat broth, or as needed
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Lots of freshly grated nutmeg
6 matzos
Melt the fat in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, parsley, and basil and sauté until the vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and meat and simmer for a few minutes. Add the peas and spinach and stir well. If the mixture seems dry, add a bit of the broth. Season with the salt, pepper, and nutmeg and mix well, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove from the heat.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place the matzos in a shallow bowl, add broth just to cover, and let soak just until soft-ened, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain the matzos and layer half of them in the bottom of a 3-quart baking dish or in a deep baking pan measuring about 9 by 12 inches. Cover the matzo layer with the vegetable-and-meat mixture, then layer the rest of the matzos on top. Alternatively, make the soup with three layers of matzos: matzo, meat, matzo, meat, matzo. Pour in the broth to cover the layers, place over medium-high heat on the stove top, bring to a boil, cover, and transfer to the oven. Bake until the broth is absorbed, 30 to 45 minutes.
To serve, scoop the soup out into bowls. If you like, heat up additional broth to spoon over each serving.
Tunisian Fish Soup from SfaxSFAXIA
A fish soup in Andrée Zana Murat’s La cuisine juive tunisienne: De mère en fille provided the inspiration for this recipe, which is also known as soupe de poissons. Here, the fish is cooked in the broth and then served as a separate course and the broth is served with croutons. A Libyan version uses less fish, cuts it into smaller pieces, and serves the fish in the broth without croutons. In Algeria, cooks make caldero (related to the Portuguese caldeirada), which calls for simmering pieces of fish in a puréed fish broth lightly scented with tomato and dried sweet peppers (ñoras), adding a spoonful of saffron rice to each soup bowl, and then garnishing each serving with harissa-seasoned garlic mayonnaise.SERVES 6 TO 8
3 to 4 pounds firm white fish, such as cod, sea bass, or flounder, cut into steaks or thick slices
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Juice of ½ lemon
2 pounds fish frames (heads, bones, tails, with gills removed)
8 to 10 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, coarsely grated
8 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup tomato purée
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
½ red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 small bulb fennel, diced
2 pinches of saffron threads
½ bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, tied in a bundle with kitchen string
3 to 4 slices day-old coarse country bread, crusts removed
Rub the fish pieces with salt and pepper and the lemon juice, place on a plate, cover, and refrigerate until ready to cook.
Rinse the fish frames well, break them up a bit, and place in a large saucepan. Add water to cover by 3 inches, place over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil, skimming off any foam from the surface. Turn down the heat to a steady simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat. Line a fine-mesh sieve with dampened cheesecloth, place over a large bowl, and strain the broth through the sieve. Reserve the broth. You should have about 8 cups.
Warm 6 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, for a few minutes. Off the heat, add the tomato purée, tomato paste, paprika, and cumin and stir well. Return the pan to medium heat and add the bell pepper, fennel, and saffron and mix well. Pour in the fish broth, add the parsley bundle, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes to blend the flavors.
Add the fish and simmer gently until it is opaque throughout, 10 to 15 minutes. Do not overcook. Using a slotted spatula or wire skimmer, transfer the fish to a warmed platter and cover to keep warm. Remove and discard the parsley. Keep the broth warm.
Cut the bread into ¾-inch cubes. Warm 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the bread cubes and fry, turning them to color evenly and adding more oil as needed, until golden on all sides. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.
Reheat the broth until piping hot and ladle into bowls. Pass the fish fillets and croutons at the table.