CHAPTER 22
Soups
A first-rate soup is more creative than a second-rate painting,” said Abraham Maslow.
Louis P. DeGouy, author of The Soup Book (1949), described soup in even more elegant terms: “Good soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living. For soup can do more to lift the spirits and stimulate the appetite than any other one dish.” We all need to get back into the kitchen and prepare nourishing, comforting soups.
Soups provide the most common—and delicious—way to use bone broths. In fact, soups are the perfect way to get good nutrition into your family: an easy-to-digest amalgamation of nourishing broth; good fats such as butter, coconut oil, and cream; lots of vegetables; and small amounts of meat or organ meat. Served with sourdough bread and butter along with cheese or pâté, they make a perfect meal. Soups can be made in large quantities and reheated on successive evenings or frozen for easy meals on busy days.
While recipes provide guidelines for making soup, you don’t really need recipes if you know the basic techniques. Soups fall into three general categories: unblended soups, blended soups, and soups that make their own broth.
Unblended Soups
These soups are based on clear broth to which chopped vegetables, animal protein (finely chopped meat, organ meats, or even chopped or beaten eggs), and a carbohydrate food (rice, barley, noodles, etc.) are typically added. The technique can be as simple as simmering the ingredients in broth until warmed through and tender, then seasoning to taste with sea salt and pepper. Tomato paste, cream, or coconut milk may be added, along with flavorings like dried herbs, turmeric, ginger, and curry powder. For additional flavor and the nutrition of healthy fats, first sauté the vegetables in coconut oil, butter, ghee, or lard. Then add broth and any other ingredients you like. The first recipes in this chapter are recipes for unblended soups, and they can be modified according to the ingredients you have on hand.
Blended Soups
Blended soups are thick and creamy; the basic technique goes like this:
Gently sauté or sweat nonstarchy chopped root and root-like vegetables (onions, leeks, peeled carrots, peeled parsnips, turnips, peeled celery root, fennel, etc.) in butter, ghee, lard, duck fat, or coconut oil until very soft, being careful not to let them burn. Seasonings like garlic, ginger, dried herbs, and curry powder can be added toward the end of the sauté.
Add broth and starchy ingredients (potatoes, squash, sweet potatoes, soaked lentils, or soaked dried peas), bring to a simmer, and cook gently until the vegetables are softened. Add chopped tender vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus, peppers, and greens and simmer until tender.
Blend the soup using a handheld blender (the easiest method because the soup remains in the pot) or in a blender or food processor. Use a food mill if you need to separate out skins (such as pepper skins) or fibrous material to produce a really smooth soup.
Return the soup to the pot and thin with water if necessary. Season the soup with sea salt and pepper to taste. You can add cream, sour cream, or crème fraîche. Adding cultured cream to the bowl after serving will preserve the enzymes in the cream.
Once you know the technique for blended soups, you can use the recipes for ideas and make your soup with whatever inspires you, using the ingredients you have on hand.
Soups That Make Their Own Broth
Using the techniques of unblended soups, cook the ingredients in water but add oxtail, beef shank, chicken feet, and/or a beef, calf’s, or pig’s foot to the pot. When the meat is cooked and tender, remove the meaty bones and cut up any meat adhering to them. Return the meat to the soup, reheat, season to taste, and serve.
Unblended Soups
Simple Chicken Noodle Soup
Adrienne Hew, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
When I lived in Yugoslavia in the 1980s, this soup was often served at the start of the midday meal.
Serves 4
6 cups homemade chicken stock
¼ cup broken vermicelli noodles
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Sea salt
Bring the stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the vermicelli and cook according to the package directions, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the parsley, season with salt, ladle into bowls, and serve.
Easy Kid’s Wonton Soup
Emma Watterson, Hayes, Virginia
Serves 4
1 quart homemade chicken broth
8 frozen wontons
Sea salt
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
About 1 cup watercress, finely chopped
1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
Bring the broth to a boil, add the wontons, and cook according to the package directions. Season with salt. Ladle 2 wontons into each of 4 bowls and pour the soup over the wontons. Serve the bowls garnished with green onion, watercress, and hard-boiled egg.
Consommé
Beef and vegetables add to the flavor of already highly flavored beef broth to make this delicious consommé. The onions are roasted to add even more flavor and a deep color to the soup. Although this recipe takes some time, the results are worth the effort.
Makes about 4 quarts
2 medium onions, roughly chopped
2 pounds ground beef
5 quarts homemade beef or veal stock, or veal double stock
2 carrots, peeled and grated
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
1 bouquet garni made with parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs, and a bay leaf, tied together with kitchen string
½ teaspoon crushed peppercorns
2 whole cloves
Sea salt
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Arrange the onions in a roasting pan and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring a couple of times, until they are deeply browned or blackened.
Heat a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat, add the ground beef, and cook, stirring often, until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add 2 cups of the stock, bring to a boil, and boil until the broth is absorbed into the beef. Add a little cold filtered water and stir to release any bits that have stuck to the pan.
Pour the remaining 4½ quarts stock into a stockpot. Add the cooked ground beef, the roasted onions, the carrots, celery, tomatoes, bouquet garni, peppercorns, and cloves. Place over medium heat and bring to a bare simmer (do not let it boil). You should see a little steam over the surface of the stock, but no bubbling, or as few bubbles rising to the surface as possible. Cook at a bare simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2–3 hours.
Strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer or chinois lined with cheesecloth or a fine towel. If you’d like additional clarity, follow the instructions on clarifying broth with egg whites on here. Season with salt, ladle into bowls or mugs, and serve.
Simple Chicken Rice Soup
Denise Tucker, Austin, Texas
When my son is sick and doesn’t have an appetite, the one thing I can always count on is chicken bone broth with basmati rice, chopped carrot, and celery. He has always been able to hold this down, and he heals much quicker than he otherwise would. He’s now fifteen years old, and he still takes the bone broth, especially when he’s sick, and of course I use it in my cooking as well.
Serves 4
1 quart homemade chicken broth
¼ cup brown basmati rice
1 carrot, peeled, cut lengthwise, and thinly sliced
1 stick celery, thinly sliced
Sea salt
Combine the broth and rice in a large saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Remove any scum that rises to the top with a spoon. Reduce the heat and simmer until the rice is tender, about 1 hour. Add the vegetables and simmer another 15 minutes or until they are tender. Season with salt, ladle into bowls, and serve.
Golden Chicken Rice Soup
Serves 6
2 quarts homemade chicken broth
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ cup brown rice
About ¾ cup finely chopped chicken meat (optional)
2 carrots, peeled and grated
1 ripe tomato, seeded and chopped
1 cup baby spinach leaves, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pour the broth into a large saucepan. Add the turmeric, place over high heat, and bring to a boil. Add the rice, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 1 hour, until the rice is cooked through. Add the optional chicken and the carrots, tomato, and spinach and simmer until cooked through. Season with salt and pepper, ladle into bowls, and serve.
Authentic Miso Soup
Serves 4
1 quart homemade fish broth, strained through a fine-mesh strainer or clarified
1 small onion, peeled, quartered, and thinly sliced
¼ head green cabbage, cored and finely sliced
1 tablespoon naturally fermented miso paste
Pour the broth into a large saucepan, place over high heat, and bring to a simmer. Add the onion and cabbage and simmer until softened, about 5 minutes. Off heat, whisk in the miso until dissolved. Ladle into bowls and serve.
Rich Vegetable Soup
Serves 8
1 pound bacon, cut into small pieces
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and grated
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
Additional bacon fat or lard if needed
1 cup port wine
1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
2 quarts homemade beef, veal, or chicken broth
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
In a stockpot, cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring often, until the fat is rendered, about 15 minutes. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and bell pepper and sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes, adding more bacon fat or lard to the pan if needed. Add the wine, increase the heat to medium-high, and reduce by half, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and broth and return to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with parsley.
Tortilla Soup
Serves 4
¼ cup lard
4 corn tortillas, cut in half and then into thin strips
½ cup peeled and chopped onion
1 medium Anaheim, poblano, or jalapeño chile, seeded, veins removed, and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart Double-Cooked Mexican Caldo (here)
¼ cup tomato paste
Sea salt
1 cup shredded cooked chicken
1 ripe avocado, peeled, cut in half, pit removed, and chopped
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or mild cheddar cheese
Chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, cut into 4 wedges
In a large saucepan, heat the lard over medium-high heat. Working in two batches, fry the tortilla strips in the lard until lightly browned and crisp. Remove the tortilla strips from the pan using tongs to a paper towel–lined plate. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion to the fat in the pan, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until beginning to soften. Add the chopped chile and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, until the onion and chile have softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the caldo and tomato paste and season with salt. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and cook until heated through.
To serve, divide half of the tortilla strips among 4 individual serving bowls and ladle in the soup. Top with avocado and cheese and garnish with the remaining tortilla strips and some cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.
My Sicilian Grandmother’s Sunday Meatball Soup
Joette Calabrese, Colden, New York
Serves 8 to 10
MEATBALLS
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 cups day-old bread, broken into small chunks or processed into breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1 cup finely grated pecorino cheese
Several sprigs fresh mint, finely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
SOUP
1 gallon stock made from chicken bones with chicken feet, or beef bones, or pork bones
5 to 8 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 large onions, peeled and diced
2 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3 cups cooked chickpeas
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 packed cup fresh basil leaves
About 3 cups Swiss chard
¼ cup sherry
Pecorino cheese
In a large bowl, mix the meatball ingredients well with your hands. Form into walnut-size balls; after forming each ball, dip your hands into a bowl of cold water to keep the meat from sticking and to help shape the balls.
In a large pot, combine the stock and potatoes; bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until almost cooked through, about 15 minutes. Gently add the meatballs one at a time, then add the onions, garlic, and chickpeas. Season with salt and pepper. Return to a simmer and cook until the meatballs are cooked through and all the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Chop the basil and chard and add at the end. Simmer about 5 minutes until they are tender. Turn off the heat and add the sherry.
Ladle into bowls, grate long, thin slices of cheese into each bowl, and serve.
Stracciatella Soup
Heather Lionelle, Salida, Colorado
My favorite dinner for a hectic night is my grandmother-in-law’s stracciatella soup. Stracciatella translates to “little torn strips” and is the Italian version of egg drop soup. With just six ingredients it comes together in a trice and is packed full of nutrition.
Serves 4
2 eggs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of sea salt
1 quart homemade chicken stock
In a small bowl, beat the eggs until just blended. Mix in the cheese, parsley, nutmeg, and salt.
In a large saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. In a thin stream, slowly pour in the egg mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk; it will form tiny flakes in the stock. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, ladle into bowls, and serve.
Chinese Egg Drop Soup
Donna and Ashley Sherman, Bloomington, Illinois
Serves 8
2 quarts homemade chicken stock
2 to 4 turnips, peeled and shredded
2 celery sticks, sliced thinly on the diagonal
1 onion, peeled and sliced into rings
3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup chopped cooked chicken or turkey (optional)
5 green onions, chopped
4 eggs, beaten
Sea salt
In a large saucepan, bring the stock to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Add the turnips, celery, onion, carrots, and chicken, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetable are tender and the chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes. Add the green onions, raise the heat, and slowly pour in the eggs while stirring the soup. Cook for 1 minute more and season with salt. Turn off the heat and cover until ready to serve.
Beef Noodle Soup
Anita Reusch, Grosslangenfeld, Germany
Serves 6 to 8
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 leek, washed well, white and light green parts, chopped
1 cup thin rice noodles broken into 1-inch pieces
2 quarts Slow Cooker Herbed Beef Shank Broth (here)
1 to 2 cups shredded beef from the broth
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
1 teaspoon dried summer savory
1 egg, beaten (optional)
Sea salt
Finely chopped fresh parsley
Melt the coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, bell pepper, and leek and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the noodles and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and shredded beef, increase the heat to high, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat. Add the turmeric, cayenne, and savory and simmer until noodles are tender, about 10 minutes. Whisk in the optional egg and season with salt. Ladle into soup bowls and serve garnished with parsley.
Cream of Gizzard Soup
Kaayla T. Daniel, Albuquerque, NM
I grew up on a small farm in the Hudson Valley. We raised chickens for eggs and meat, grew fruit, and tended to eat a lot of what wasn’t quite presentable enough to sell to the public. I helped my Grandpa “candle” the eggs each night and took home the double and triple yolkers and any with a crack or a touch of blood. I don’t think I ever had a boneless, skinless chicken breast until I went to college, but I remember plenty of gizzards during my childhood. We cooked them for a good long time until they were tender yet still chewy and served them up with salt and butter. Sometimes, though, the gizzards would go into chicken and rice or noodle soup if more meat was needed. Sometimes we enjoyed the special treat of cream of gizzard soup.
Serves 4
½ pound gizzards
4 tablespoons butter
2 medium onions, peeled and diced
2 celery sticks, chopped
1 quart homemade chicken broth
1 bay leaf
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces
½ cup cream, preferably raw
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Wash the gizzards to remove any grit. Look them over for bits of wrinkly yellow skin, which is the inside of the gizzard, and remove it (it peels off easily). Cut the gizzards into 3 or 4 pieces each.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and sauté for about 15 minutes, until soft and sweet. Add the chicken broth, bay leaf, and gizzards and increase the heat to high. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the gizzards are tender, which could take anywhere from 1 to 2 hours, depending on the toughness of the gizzards and your height above sea level. Remove the bay leaf, add the potatoes, and cook until they’re tender. Just before serving, stir in the raw cream and add salt and pepper to taste.
Polish Penicillin (Gizzard and Heart Soup)
Laurel Lovelace, Elizabethton, Tennessee
I grew up on chicken gizzards and hearts. My mom made soup from them every Sunday, and we called it Polish penicillin. My Polish great-grandmother made this soup and I’m the fourth generation (at least) still making it. Gizzards and hearts are great when simmered long enough to make them tender.
Serves 6 to 8
1 pound chicken gizzards
½ pound chicken hearts
2 quarts homemade chicken broth
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 stick celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled, cut lengthwise, and thinly sliced
10 whole allspice berries, placed in a tea ball
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cooked noodles
Finely chopped fresh parsley
Wash the gizzards and hearts. Look over the gizzards for bits of wrinkly yellow skin, which is the inside of the gizzard, and remove it (it peels off easily). Remove any blood clots from the hearts by squeezing them. Cut the gizzards into 2 or 3 pieces, but leave the hearts whole.
Place the cleaned gizzards and hearts in a large saucepan and add the broth; add additional water if necessary to cover the gizzards and hearts by 2 to 3 inches. Bring to a boil over medium heat and carefully skim the scum that rises to the surface with a slotted spoon or small wire strainer.
Add the onion, celery, carrots, and allspice, return to a simmer, then reduce the heat and simmer with the lid askew for about 2 hours, until the gizzards are very tender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over noodles prepared according to package directions and garnish with parsley.
Soup Memories
My two German grandmothers, both still alive and in good health in their mid-nineties, cook the way they learned from their own mothers and grandmothers, using lots of bone broth, gravies, sauces, and stews. When I would arrive at my grandma’s house after a seven-hour car ride, she would be waiting for me with her homemade bone broth; that was a soothing and replenishing moment. For her broth she would boil the meat on the bone, including some bones with lots of marrow, for about 2 hours. She would also add Suppengrün, which means “soup greens”; it is a bundle of roots, bulbs, and herbs, usually a couple of carrots, leeks, celery sticks, and some parsley. This bundle is available in German grocery stores and markets. The Suppengrün veggies are added whole to the broth and later discarded or sometimes eaten alongside the finished soup.
This kind of clear bone-veggie broth, or consommé, is usually eaten with something in it, like thin pancakes cut into strips (you pour the broth over them right before serving), little Grieβklöβchen (dumplings made of semolina), or my favorite, Markklöβchen, or marrow dumplings.
The next day she would make my grandpa’s favorite dish, Tafelspitz with Meerrettichsauce, which consists of the cut-up cooked meat from the broth and a delicious sauce made of bone broth, fresh cream, flour, and grated horseradish, served with cooked potatoes.
When I was a child, my favorite recipe was German oxtail soup, made with oxtail broth and cream. Only now I understand why I was craving this dish while I was going through my early childhood growing phase.
—Tamara Hiller, Itacaré, Brazil
Bone Marrow Dumpling Soup
Tamara Hiller, Itacaré, Brazil
Serves 8
2 quarts homemade beef stock, made with 8-inch marrowbones (along with the other bones), reserving the bones with their marrow
2 eggs
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh parsley
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 cups sourdough breadcrumbs
Scoop out the marrow from the cooked bones and mash it with a fork, or pass it through a strainer by mashing it with a spoon.
In a medium bowl, mix the marrow with the eggs, parsley, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste, and enough breadcrumbs for the dumplings to hold together. Form one ball, about ¾ inch in diameter; this is your test dumpling.
In a large saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer. Drop the test dumpling into the stock and cook until cooked through, keeping track of how long it took and adjusting the seasonings and amount of breadcrumbs if necessary. For example, if the dumpling is too soft or falls apart, add more breadcrumbs and try again. Once you have the mixture right, drop the marrow dumplings into the broth using a teaspoon and simmer them until cooked through. Ladle into bowls and serve.
Tom Yum Soup
Sharon Watt, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
Serves 4
About 6 cups homemade chicken broth
Juice and grated zest of 1 large organic lemon
1 fresh red chile, seeded and finely chopped, or ½ teaspoon dried red chile flakes
1 spring onion, thinly sliced
3 to 4 tablespoons fish sauce, to taste
7 to 10 ounces raw chicken or beef, thinly sliced
¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
Pour the broth into a large saucepan. Add the lemon zest and juice, the chile, spring onion, and fish sauce, place over medium-high heat, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, then add the chicken and simmer for another minute, or until cooked through. Remove from the heat and add the cilantro. Let it sit to infuse for a minute or two, then ladle into bowls and serve.
Spicy Coconut Chicken and Shrimp Soup
Barbara Drury, Whitehorse, Canada
Serves 8
2 cups very thinly sliced green cabbage
Juice of 1 lemon or lime
2 quarts homemade chicken broth
¼ cup coconut oil
1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
3 to 4 fresh jalapeño chiles, seeded and chopped
⅓ cup grated fresh ginger
½ cup Pesto Sauce (here)
2 cups frozen peeled small shrimp
2 cups cooked diced chicken
1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
Leaves from 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
Tamari sauce
Fish sauce
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a large bowl, toss the cabbage with the lemon juice; set aside.
In a large saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer over medium-high heat.
While the broth is heating up, melt the coconut oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and garlic and sauté, stirring frequently, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the jalapeños and ginger, cook for 1 minute, and transfer the contents of the pan to the broth. Stir in the pesto and shrimp. Return the broth to a simmer, stir in the chicken, cabbage, coconut milk, and cilantro, and cook to heat through. Season with tamari, fish sauce, and salt and pepper, ladle into bowls, and serve.
Borscht
Lorraine Carlstrom, Nelson, Canada
Serves 6 to 8
3 tablespoons butter or ghee
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
½ cup chopped celery
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
2 medium potatoes, scrubbed and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
4 cups homemade chicken or turkey stock
2 cups blended fresh tomatoes or 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 medium beet, peeled and grated
½ head green cabbage, cored and shredded or very thinly sliced
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup chopped fresh dill
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sour cream
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, until it starts to soften. Add the celery and carrot and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the potatoes, garlic, stock, tomatoes, beet, and cabbage. Increase the heat to medium-high, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are softened. Add the vinegar, cream, and dill and season with salt and pepper; cook for another 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve with a dollop of sour cream.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Sarah Nicholson, Vale, Australia
Serves 4
1 cup cooked rice noodles
About 2 cups shredded vegetables such as carrots, cabbage, and spring onions
About 1 cup diced vegetables such as broccoli or snow peas
1 quart homemade chicken broth, brought to a simmer
Naturally fermented soy sauce or sea salt
Divide the noodles and shredded and diced vegetables among 4 bowls. Pour the simmering broth on top. Have your diners season their bowls with soy sauce to taste.
Spicy Beef Soup with Kale
Barbara Drury, Whitehorse, Canada
Serves 8
2 quarts homemade beef broth
⅔ cup coconut oil, lard, or beef fat
1 large or 2 medium onions, peeled and sliced
1 pound cremini or wild mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 jalapeño chiles, seeds removed and thinly sliced
1 pound beef steak (such as sirloin or inside round), thinly sliced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tamari sauce
Fish sauce
4 large leaves fresh kale, stemmed and chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
In a large saucepan, heat the broth to a simmer.
Meanwhile, melt ⅓ cup of the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, mushrooms, 1 clove of the garlic, and the jalapeños and sauté until softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Tip the contents of the pan into the broth and wipe out the pan.
Melt the remaining ⅓ cup coconut oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Pat the beef slices dry with paper towels, add to the pan along with the remaining garlic clove, and stir-fry, stirring constantly to prevent the beef and garlic from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cook until the meat is pink. Tip the contents of the pan into the simmering broth.
Season the broth with salt, pepper, tamari, and fish sauce and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes for flavors to blend. Add the kale and cook until the kale turns an intense shade of green. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the green onions.
Seafood Chowder
Lorraine Carlstrom, Nelson, Canada
Serves 4 to 6
3 tablespoons butter or ghee
1 onion, finely chopped
3 celery sticks, finely chopped
½ cup white wine (optional)
5 cups homemade fish stock
½ cup tomato paste
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
3 to 4 medium potatoes, cut into ¼-inch cubes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ pound halibut or cod, cut into chunks
½ pound scallops, cut into pieces
½ pound prawns, cut into pieces, or ½ pound whole small shrimp
Melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the optional wine and bring to a simmer. Add the stock, tomato paste, carrots, potatoes, garlic, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper to taste. Increase the heat to high, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the vegetables are just tender. Add the cheese, halibut, scallops, and prawns, return to a simmer, and simmer until the seafood is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve.
Asian Seafood Soup
Pamela Lund, Stanton, California
Serves 4 to 6
2 bunches green onions
6 cups homemade fish broth
¼ cup naturally fermented soy sauce
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 red chiles or jalapeño chiles, seeded and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 cup sweet potato starch noodles (dangmyeon; optional)
1 head Napa cabbage, roughly chopped
4 cups seafood of choice, such as clams, mussels, scallops, shrimp, or fish fillets cut into chunks
Slice the white parts of green onions lengthwise; chop the green stems and reserve for garnish.
In a large saucepan, combine the broth, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Add the whites from the green onions, the garlic, chiles, and ginger and return to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the optional noodles and simmer for about 10 minutes, until al dente. Lift bunches of noodles up from the pan, cut them with kitchen scissors (the noodles are almost impossible to cut when uncooked), and plunge them back into the pan. Add the cabbage, then add the seafood and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the clams or mussels open (discard any shells that don’t open) or the scallops, shrimp, or fish are cooked through. Ladle into bowls and serve topped with the greens from the green onions.
Amber Fish Soup
Adapted from The Art of Russian Cuisine, by Anne Volokh and Mavis Manus
Serves 6
2 quarts Russian Fish Broth (here)
⅛ teaspoon saffron threads
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 pounds fresh or frozen and thawed salmon, cut into 6 pieces
Sea salt
6 thin slices peeled lemon
Pour the broth into a large saucepan, place over high heat, and bring to a boil. Place the saffron in a cup or small bowl and add a little of the broth to help it “bloom”; set aside. Add the potatoes and the salmon to the broth, partially cover, and simmer for another 8 to 10 minutes, until the fish and potatoes are cooked through. Season with salt and add the reserved saffron and liquid.
To serve, place a piece of fish in each of 6 heated soup bowls, top with a thin slice of lemon, and pour the broth over the fish.
Blended Soups
Shrimp Bisque Method I
Bisque—a creamy thick soup based on shrimp or lobster—is the jewel in the crown of good chefs. Two methods are given here: one begins with already thickened shrimp shell stock, and the other uses a small amount of flour for thickening. Both versions are delicious!
Serves 6 to 8
4 cups Shrimp Shell Stock (here)
1 small can or jar tomato paste
1 cup crème fraîche
½ cup sherry
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped chives, croutons, or cooked shrimp
Combine the stock, tomato paste, and crème fraîche in a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir in the sherry, turn off the heat, and season with salt and pepper. Ladle into heated bowls and serve. The soup can be garnished with chopped chives, homemade croutons, or a few cooked shrimp.
Shrimp Bisque Method II
Pamela Lund, Stanton, California
Serves 6
6 tablespoons butter
Shells from 1 pound medium to large shrimp
Heads from 1 pound medium to large shrimp (optional)
2 medium onions, cut in half and sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
5 to 6 cups homemade fish or chicken broth
Juice of ½ lemon
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 bay leaves
6 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
¼ cup unbleached white flour or potato flour
3 tablespoons brandy, Marsala, or Madeira
Sea salt
⅔ cup heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells and optional shrimp heads, and cook, stirring, until the shells start to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the onions, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, lemon juice, tomato paste, bay leaves, and garlic. Increase the heat to high, bring to a boil, skim the top of any scum, then reduce the heat and simmer about 45 minutes. Let cool and strain into a bowl. Rinse out the pan.
Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in the pan over medium-low heat and stir in the flour. Cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until it starts to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the brandy and about a third of the shrimp stock and whisk vigorously to mix in the flour. Slowly add the rest of the stock 1 cup at a time, whisking the whole time to ensure that all of the flour is thoroughly mixed in. Cover and simmer for another 5 minutes, then season with salt. Add the cream, mix it in well, and heat it through. Ladle into bowls and serve topped with a grinding of pepper.
Curry Soup
Donna and Ashley Sherman, Bloomington, Illinois
Serves 12
¼ cup coconut oil
2 onions, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
5 cloves garlic, minced
1½ teaspoons ground coriander
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground allspice
3 quarts homemade chicken stock
1 medium butternut squash, baked, seeds removed and flesh scooped out
1½ pounds spinach or other greens, chopped
2 cups chopped chicken meat
Sea salt
Heat the coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and ginger and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and allspice and sauté for 1 minute. Add the stock and butternut squash, increase the heat to high, bring to a boil, and blend well with a whisk or handheld blender. Add the greens, return to a simmer, and simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes, until the spinach is wilted. Add the chicken and cook to heat it through. Season with salt, ladle into bowls, and serve.
Carrot Soup
Laurent Langlais, Antony, France
Serves 6
1 quart homemade chicken broth
2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced
1 large yellow onion, peeled and sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 (13.5-ounce) cans coconut milk
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cumin
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pour the broth into a large saucepan. Add the carrots, onion, garlic, and coconut milk, place over high heat, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1½ to 2 hours, until the soup has reduced by about one-third and the carrots are tender. Transfer to a blender in batches and puree. Return to the pan, reheat if necessary, add the cinnamon and cumin, and season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve.
Cream of Mushroom Soup
Pamela Lund, Stanton, California
To maximize the flavor of this delicious soup, cool the soup after preparing it, pour it into an airtight container, refrigerate overnight, and reheat the following day.
Serves 10 to 12
1 pound fresh mushrooms, such as cremini, shiitake, baby bella, or portobello
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced
6 cups homemade chicken or beef stock
1 large leek or 2 small leeks, white and light green parts, sliced
1 cup white wine
¼ to ½ cup heavy cream, plus more for serving if you like
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh chives (optional)
Clean the mushroom tops with a dampened paper towel. Pull off the stems and set aside. Cut the mushroom caps into ¼-inch slices.
Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the mushroom stems and onion and sauté until the onion is softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes, until the mushrooms are very tender. Strain the mushroom stems and onions from the stock into a large heatproof bowl; discard the mushroom stems and onions and reserve the stock.
While the stock is simmering, in a second large saucepan, melt 3½ tablespoons of the remaining butter over low heat, add the leeks, and sauté until the leeks start to color, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced mushroom caps and the remaining 3½ tablespoons butter. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are softened and browned. Add the wine and simmer a few minutes. Add the strained stock to the pan and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes to combine the flavors.
Blend the soup with a handheld blender for a few seconds to chop up the mushroom pieces. Add the cream, starting with ¼ cup and working up until you find the consistency and flavor you like. If the soup is too thin, simmer uncovered a bit to reduce it. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve topped with chives and an extra swirl of cream if you like.
Ancho Chile and Cauliflower Soup
Nicole Gustavson, Leesburg, Virginia
This soup freezes very nicely in quart containers, with about 2 servings per container.
Serves 10
3 tablespoons coconut oil or butter
2 tablespoons ground ancho chile (see Sources, here)
2 tablespoons sea salt
4 large heads cauliflower, cut into florets
6 large cloves garlic, peeled
2 large onions, peeled and roughly chopped
3 quarts homemade chicken broth
Leaves from 1 bunch fresh cilantro
Freshly ground white or black pepper
About 1 cup heavy cream or crème fraîche
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Melt the coconut oil or butter in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the chile powder and salt and stir to incorporate it into the oil. Add cauliflower florets, garlic, onions, and broth, increase the heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the florets, garlic, and onions are very soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the cilantro and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Blend with a handheld blender or in a standing blender until smooth. Season with pepper. If soup is too thick, thin with a little water.
Ladle into bowls, swirl a generous spoonful of cream into the individual bowls, and sprinkle with cheese.
Asparagus Soup
Lydia Palermo, Monument, Colorado
Serves 4 to 6
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion or large shallot, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed (save them for stock), cut into 1-inch pieces
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream, at room temperature
Extra-virgin olive oil
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until colored, about 2 minutes. Add the stock and blend with a handheld blender until smooth. Add the asparagus, bring to a simmer, and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the asparagus is softened. Blend again with the handheld blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and let cool for a few minutes. Stir in the crème fraîche, ladle into bowls, and finish with a small drizzle of oil.
Apple-Onion Cream Soup
Adapted from Anne Mendelson, Milk: The Surprising Story of Milk Through the Ages
Serves 6
4 to 6 thick slices of bacon
3 to 4 tart juicy apples, peeled, cored, quartered, and coarsely diced
4 tablespoons butter
4 large onions, peeled and coarsely diced
1 quart homemade beef broth
6 to 8 whole allspice berries, lightly bruised
1 cup heavy cream
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dash of fresh lemon juice (optional)
1 teaspoon caraway seeds, lightly bruised (optional)
Cook the bacon slowly in a heavy skillet over low heat to render out all the fat and crisp it. Remove the bacon from the skillet, drain it on paper towels, and crumble it. Increase the heat under the skillet to medium, add the apples, and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Scoop out a few spoonfuls of the apples for garnish and set aside.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan over low heat. When it foams and sizzles, add the chopped onions and sauté very patiently, stirring frequently, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onions are well softened and starting to brown. Scoop out a few spoonfuls for garnish and set aside with the reserved apples.
Add the cooked apples to the onions, pour in the broth, add the allspice, and raise the heat to high. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and simmer until the ingredients are nearly dissolved, 10 to 15 minutes. Fish out and discard the allspice berries.
Puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor, leaving some chunks for a slightly coarse texture. Return the soup to the pan, bring just to a boil, and stir in the cream. Return to a boil, turn off the heat, and season with salt and pepper. If the soup needs a little brightening, add a little lemon juice. If it is too thick, thin it with some hot water.
Ladle into bowls and serve garnished with the reserved bacon, apple, and onion and a scattering of optional caraway seeds.
Cold Weather Root Soup
Serves 8
4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter
3 medium onions, peeled and sliced
2 leeks, white and light green parts, halved lengthwise, washed well, and sliced
5 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 bay leaf
2 small turnips, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and thinly sliced
3 parsnips, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced
2 medium potatoes, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and thinly sliced
6½ cups homemade chicken broth
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of ground cayenne
Freshly grated Parmesan or cheddar cheese
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, leeks, carrots, garlic, and bay leaf, tossing to coat them in the butter. Cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are wilted, about 15 minutes. Add the turnips, parsnips, potatoes, broth, and nutmeg. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are very tender, about 1 hour. Remove the bay leaf.
Use a handheld blender to puree the soup. Add the cream and return to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper and the cayenne. If soup is too thick, thin it with a little water. Ladle into bowls and serve with a sprinkling of cheese.
Moroccan-Style Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 4 to 6
1 large butternut squash
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
5 large cloves garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
Scant ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
½ teaspoon paprika
1 medium tart apple, cored, peeled, and chopped
1 quart homemade chicken broth
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon, strained
5 or 6 green onions, thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Cut the squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, and place facedown on an oiled baking pan. Bake until tender, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let the squash cool. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Scoop the flesh out of the skin and reserve it.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, turmeric, cayenne, paprika, and chopped apple and sauté for about 30 seconds, until aromatic. Add the reserved squash and the broth, increase the heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the apple is very soft.
Remove from the heat, let the soup cool slightly, and puree it in the pan with a handheld blender. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the lemon juice. Ladle into bowls and top each serving with green onion and cilantro.
Soups That Make Their Own Broth
Caribbean-Style Cock Soup
Adrienne Hew, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Cock soup is a tradition in many countries. It was especially reserved for pregnant women in Jamaican households, to ensure the birth of healthy babies. In fact, when my uncle left Jamaica to pursue his fortune in England before sending for his growing family, my grandfather prepared this soup every day for my aunt. It is clear from the beautiful bone structure, straight teeth, clear skin, and overall vibrant health of her children that feeding cock soup to pregnant women is the best way to avoid costly visits to the orthopedist, orthodontist, dermatologist, and even your regular family doctor. Many modern Jamaicans, however, have forgotten this practice and opt for the MSG-filled dried version widely sold in grocery stores. As a result, younger generations suffer the same deformities and problems as children in industrialized countries.
Serves 6
1 whole cock or chicken
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
About 4 quarts cold filtered water
½ pound yucca, peeled and diced
1 pound potatoes, peeled and diced
1 unripe chayote, peeled and diced
1 small onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
5 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Sea salt
1 whole scotch bonnet chile
Place the cock in a stockpot and add the vinegar and enough cold filtered water to cover. Place over medium heat, cover, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 60 minutes, removing any scum that accumulates at the top of the stock. Add the yucca, potatoes, chayote, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and thyme to the pot and cook for another 60 minutes. Lift out the cock and remove the meat from bones. Reserve the bones for enriching other batches of stock. Return about 1 cup of meat to the pot, reserving the rest for another dish. Season with salt and add the chile. Be careful not to puncture the chile or your soup will be too peppery to enjoy; by leaving it whole, you will get the aroma of the chile, which is much more pleasing. Ladle into bowls and serve. Freeze extra for an easy dinner on a busy night.
Miracle Cock Soup
Adrienne Hew, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Yes, it’s a bold claim to suggest that something as simple as a bowl of soup might actually be able to cure the common cold, but I have used this remedy for more than twenty years with great success. In fact, I have been able to chase colds and flu away in as little as two hours using this concoction, followed by a nap under a warm blanket. A few years ago a friend of mine was telling me that chicken soup was not helping her son’s cold and fever. I suggested she add the following ingredients to the soup and try again, then have him take a nap in warm bedclothes. Three hours later, she called me to say that his fever had broken and he was acting like his old self. As the name of this soup indicates, it might have other beneficial effects that manifest after the flu is banished!
Makes about 4 quarts
1 whole cock or chicken, preferably including head and feet
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
About 4 quarts cold filtered water
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into 5 pieces
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced on an angle
2 celery sticks, thinly sliced
3 cups assorted diced vegetables, such as leafy cooking greens, green beans, turnips, potatoes, or any other vegetables lying at the bottom of your crisper drawer
Sea salt
3 ounces mung bean noodles
Place the cock in a stockpot and add the vinegar and enough cold filtered water to cover. Add the ginger and garlic, place over medium heat, cover, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 60 minutes, removing any scum from the top of the stock. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and assorted vegetables to the pot and cook for another 60 minutes. Lift out the cock and remove the meat from the bones. Reserve the bones for making additional stock. Return about 1 cup of meat to the pot, reserving the rest for other dishes. Season with salt. Add the noodles and cook for about 2 minutes, until cooked through. Ladle into bowls and serve.
Vietnamese Beef Pho
Nourishing pho is a popular snack food in Vietnam, usually prepared by corner shop mom-and-pop vendors.
Serves about 10
5 pounds meaty beef knucklebones
2 gallons cold filtered water
½ cup vinegar
2 pounds beef oxtail
1 daikon radish, peeled and sliced
2 onions, peeled and chopped
⅓ cup whole star anise pods
½ cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 slice peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon sea salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1½ pounds dried flat rice noodles
½ pound frozen beef sirloin, partially thawed and sliced paper thin
TOPPINGS
Sriracha or Tabasco sauce
Hoisin sauce
Thinly sliced onion
Chopped fresh cilantro
Mung bean sprouts
Thinly sliced green onion
Lime quarters
Place the beef knucklebones in a very large (9-quart or more) pot. Fill the pot with the 2 gallons of cold filtered water and the vinegar. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low, carefully spoon off any scum that rises to the top, and simmer for about 2 hours.
Skim the fat from the surface of the soup and add the oxtail, radish, and onions. Tie the star anise pods, cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns, and ginger in cheesecloth and add it to the soup. Stir in the sugar, salt, and fish sauce. Return to a simmer and simmer for at least 4 more hours (the longer the better). Taste and add more salt if needed. Strain the broth and discard the spices and bones. Reserve the meat from the beef knucklebones for another use. Return the soup to the pot and keep it at a simmer.
Meanwhile, soak the rice noodles in a bowl of warm water for about 20 minutes, then drain. Bring a separate large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, add the noodles, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain.
Place some noodles into soup bowls and top with a few raw beef slices. Ladle simmering broth over the beef and noodles in the bowls. Serve with the toppings alongside for diners to add as they wish.
Rich Beef and Vegetable Bone Broth Soup
Katherine Pirtle, Addison, Illinois
Makes about 4 quarts
1 oxtail, cut into pieces
1 beef knucklebone
Several beef marrowbones
Several meaty soup bones, such as ribs or shank
2 tablespoons vinegar
About 4 quarts cold filtered water
1 to 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into small pieces
2 to 3 large onions, peeled and chopped
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
4 large beets, peeled and sliced
4 ounces Swiss chard, chopped
1 large bunch fresh parsley, chopped
Other vegetables of your choice (whatever you have available), chopped
2 cups dry red wine
Sea salt
Place the oxtail, knucklebone, marrowbones, and soup bones in a stockpot. Add the vinegar and enough cold filtered water to cover the bones. Let stand for 30 to 60 minutes. Place over medium heat, uncovered, bring to a bare simmer, and carefully spoon off any scum that rises to the top. Lower the heat to low and cook at a bare simmer with the lid off or slightly askew for 3 to 4 hours, until the meat from the soup bones and oxtail is cooked. Remove the bones, let them cool, take the meat off the bones, and refrigerate the meat to add to the soup later. Put the bones back in the pot and continue simmering for about another 24 hours, occasionally skimming scum from the top as needed and checking to ensure that the bones remain covered with water and adding more water as needed.
Remove the bones with tongs and a slotted spoon. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer into 2-quart Pyrex measuring containers or a large heatproof bowl (see tips for straining on here). Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate uncovered for several hours, until the fat rises to the top and congeals. Skim off this fat (you can use it in your cooking) and return the broth to a stockpot. (If not using right away, transfer the stock to containers, cover, and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for many months.) Add the reserved meat from the bones, the stew meat, onions, carrots, beets, chard, parsley, other vegetables, and wine. Bring to a simmer and simmer for about 20 minutes. Season with salt, ladle into bowls, and serve.
Pea and Ham Hock Soup
Jill Freeman, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
Serves 8 to 12
1 ham hock
About 3 quarts cold filtered water
4 cups green split peas, soaked overnight in water and a splash of apple cider vinegar
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 onions, peeled and diced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place the ham hock in a large saucepan and add cold filtered water to cover. Place over medium heat, uncovered, bring to a bare simmer, and carefully spoon off any scum that rises to the top. Add the split peas, carrots, and onions, then lower the heat to low and cook at a bare simmer with the lid off or slightly askew for about 6 hours, until the meat comes off the bone easily, adding more water if needed.
Remove the ham hock from the soup and strip the meat from it, making sure to remove the layer of fat from the underside of the skin. Cut the meat and fat into bite-size pieces and place them back in the pan. If soup is too thick, thin with some water. Season with salt and pepper, ladle into bowls, and serve.
Oxtail Soup
Beverly Rubik, PhD, Oakland, California
Makes about 4 quarts
3 to 4 tablespoons lard
2 to 2½ pounds oxtail pieces
About 4 quarts cold filtered water
2 bay leaves
1 cup red wine (optional)
½ cup pearled barley (optional)
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large turnip, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion, peeled and diced
3 to 6 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound brown mushrooms, sliced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons of dried herbs de Provence (or 1 to 2 tablespoons dried thyme)
1 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
Melt the lard in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the oxtail pieces and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add cold filtered water to cover the oxtail pieces, then add the bay leaves. Place over medium heat, uncovered, bring to a bare simmer, and carefully spoon off any scum that rises to the top. Add the optional wine and optional barley, then lower the heat to low and cook at a bare simmer with the lid off or slightly askew for 90 minutes. Add the carrots, parsnips, turnip, onion, garlic, mushrooms, and more water, if necessary, to cover them, and simmer for another 45 minutes, or until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Add the herbs de Provence and simmer for another 30 minutes, or until the meat is falling off the bone.
Remove oxtail pieces with tongs and a slotted spoon. Remove the meat from the bones, chop it finely, and return it to the pot. Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve.
Geoffrey’s Soup
Geoffrey Morell, Brandywine, Maryland
Sally’s husband, Geoffrey, makes this soup every couple of months and freezes it in 1-quart containers. That way they always have nourishing, gelatin-rich soup ready to thaw, heat up, and eat. The best meat to use is oxtail, but other meaty bones will also work. Vegetables can be anything you have on hand—this is a great way to clean out the vegetable drawers in your refrigerator. To prepare the vegetables, peel and slice hard vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, and turnips. For softer vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus, cabbage, lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, and lettuce, place in a food processor in batches and pulse until cut into small pieces.
Makes about 8 quarts
About 5 pounds oxtail, cut into sections, or about 5 pounds meaty bones
About 8 quarts cold filtered water
1 cup pearled barley
1 cup red lentils
About 8 cups chopped vegetables
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
About ½ teaspoon ground cayenne, or to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
4 tablespoons dried herbs such as oregano, thyme, and sage
Sea salt
Finely chopped fresh parsley
Sour cream or crème fraîche
Place the oxtail in a stockpot and add the cold filtered water. Place over medium heat, uncovered, bring to a bare simmer, and carefully spoon off any scum that rises to the top. Add the barley, lentils, vegetables, ginger, cayenne, paprika, and herbs, then lower the heat to low. Cook at a bare simmer with the lid off or slightly askew for 4 to 8 hours, occasionally skimming scum from the top as needed and checking to ensure that the bones remain covered with water and adding more water as needed.
Remove the oxtail with tongs and a slotted spoon. Cut away the meat and cartilage, finely chop it, and set aside.
Use a handheld blender to partially blend the soup, leaving some chunks. Return the meat to the soup and season with salt.
Ladle into bowls and serve with a sprinkling of parsley and sour cream on the side, along with toasted sourdough bread and plenty of butter.
Slovenian Sour Pork Soup
This sour pork soup is traditionally the final dish served at wedding receptions, usually after midnight.
Serves 6
1 split pig’s foot
About 1 pound combination of pork meat and organ meats, such as lung, stomach or tripe, and heart, diced
About 10 cups cold filtered water
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs fresh thyme, plus fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons lard
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons unbleached white flour
½ teaspoon paprika
Apple cider vinegar or dry white wine
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place the pig’s foot and organ meats in a stockpot and add cold filtered water to cover. Place over medium heat, uncovered, bring to a bare simmer, and carefully spoon off any scum that rises to the top. Add the bay leaf, thyme sprigs, cumin seeds, and garlic, then lower the heat to low. Cover and cook at a bare simmer for about 2 hours, occasionally skimming scum from the top as needed and checking to ensure that the bones remain covered with water and adding more water as needed, until the meat is tender.
Melt the lard in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and paprika and stir to make a smooth paste. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Gradually add a ladleful of liquid from the soup, stirring to thin out the paste. Stir the mixture into the soup and bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Remove the pig’s foot and bay leaf from the soup.
Season with vinegar, salt, and pepper, ladle into bowls, and garnish the bowls with thyme leaves.
White Bean Soup with Sausage and Pesto
Serves 4 to 6
1 cup cooked white beans
1 quart homemade beef or chicken broth
½ cup Pesto Sauce (here)
½ pound dry Italian sausage, quartered and thinly sliced
Sea salt
Grated Parmesan cheese
Combine the beans and broth in a large saucepan, place over high heat, and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the pesto and add the sausage and cook to heat through. Season with salt, ladle into bowls, and serve topped with cheese.