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SOUP’S ON

Chris – I always thought of “soup” as an onomatopoetic word – the sound you make as you slurp a big spoonful of rich broth filled with delicious ingredients that have been slowly simmered into tender goodness. Other than the hottest days of summer, soup was an essential part of our daily diet.

Another great feature of soup is that it is endlessly adaptable to the ingredients at hand and nearly foolproof. And soup is the magician’s hat where you can dump in leftover little bits of meat, vegetables, rice and pasta to create one-of-a-kind masterpieces. Your soups may never be the same twice but they are always nourishing and economical.

Daniel – Soup and stew recipes can be good “entry level” recipes. They are usually very forgiving, easily accommodating substitutions, with preparation and assembly at a comfortable pace, and often no advanced techniques are required. If your ingredients are good and you take some reasonable care in preparing them, even novice cooks can produce very tasty results.

Let’s start with a basic chicken stock and explore a few variations.

Chris

The key to great soup is great broth. And this simple recipe will provide about 1 gallon of the liquid gold to use or freeze. When I make chicken, I save all the trimmings (breast bones, wing tips, etc.) in a freezer bag. Once the bag is full it’s time to make stock. You can even use the chicken or turkey carcass after it has been roasted.

Chicken Broth

Makes 4 quarts

INGREDIENTS

1 chicken or 3 pounds chicken parts

1 onion, skin on

1 stalk celery (with leaves)

1 carrot, washed

1 bay leaf

5 peppercorns

STEPS

• Rinse the chicken and put it in a large stock pot with 5 quarts of water. Add all the other ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and skim any froth that has formed on top of the pot. Simmer, partially covered for 1 hour.

• Remove the chicken to a colander over a bowl and let sit until it is cool enough to handle. Separate the meat from the skin and bones and reserve.

• Return the skin and bones to the pot along with any accumulated drippings and simmer for another 3 hours, until the liquid is reduced to approximately 4 quarts.

• Use a strainer or a China cap (photo at right) to pour the broth into a container. Discard the remaining skin, bones and vegetables.

• Let the broth cool and then refrigerate overnight. A layer of fat will form on the top and the liquid will become gelatinous. Remove the fat. The broth is now ready to be used in a recipe or stored in the freezer in 1-quart zipper bags.

Chris

The best part of having a cold in our house was the regular doses of pastina as a cure-all. It was often served as the first solid food for infants because of its nutritive value and easy digestibility. Pastina is very finely cut pasta in the shape of stars!

Pastina in Brodo

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon butter

1 small onion, diced very fine

1 small carrot, diced fine

½ stalk celery, diced fine

½ cup pastina

1 quart chicken broth

STEPS

• Melt the butter over medium heat in a 3-quart saucepan. Add the onion, carrot and celery and sauté gently until they are softened but not brown.

• Add the broth and bring to a boil.

• Stir in the pastina and cook until it is tender, about 5–6 minutes.

• Serve it just as it is or add some of the reserved chicken cut into small pieces and top with grated Romano cheese.

Chris

At least three times a week, my grandmother would preface whatever we were having for dinner with a steaming bowl of “zuppa scarola” or escarole soup. She would hold up the ladle and ask everyone “Do you want some scarole?” I had no idea what it was. It just looked green and slimy. Now I wish I had said yes every time. Escarole has a very mild flavor and it is the most tender of all the soup greens. It only needs to cook for a minute or two.

Escarole Soup

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch escarole

2–3 cloves garlic (slapped with the flat of a knife to loosen skin)

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups water

STEPS

• Thoroughly clean the escarole to remove any sandy grit. Tear the leaves into smaller pieces.

• Sauté the garlic in the olive oil. As soon as it starts to brown, remove the garlic and add the water. Bring the water to a simmer and add the escarole.

• Cook 5 minutes until the escarole is tender.

Chris

Lentils are the legumes that put “simple” into the pleasures and satisfying goodness of beans. Since lentils require no overnight soaking or other pre-treatment, they can be ready to enjoy in no time. The longer you cook them the creamier they become.

NOTE

This recipe can be vegan or not, with the option of using either olive oil or a ham hock.

Lentil Soup

Makes 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 pound lentils (red, brown, green or mixed)

2 quarts cold water

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

2–3 tablespoons olive oil (or substitute 1 smoked ham hock)

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup stewed or canned tomatoes (optional)

1 bunch escarole (optional)

STEPS

• Wash lentils and place in a pot with cold water. Chop vegetables and add to lentils. Add olive oil (or ham hock), salt and pepper and tomatoes. Cook over medium heat until the lentils are soft, about 2 hours.

• Clean the escarole well and add 5 minutes before serving.

• If using a ham hock, remove it from the soup and trim off the meat. Chop it into small chunks and add back to the soup.

Chris

The first time I made this dish it was from a recipe in Bon Appétit magazine. The results were delicious but the preparation was anything but simple and the use of cream to finish the final soup meant that it was a caloric heavyweight. The advantage of this version is that you have the added sweetness of the caramelized squash and none of the fat and calories from the cream.