Soup really is m’mm-m’mm good
Soup is for when you want something that’s flavorful but healthful.
It was a cold night during the extended holiday season. We had been indulging in everything one indulges in during that caloric time.
And so we wanted to eat something flavorful but healthful. Something that did not require a trip to the grocery store. So we shopped in the pantry and the refrigerator, though actually it was the freezer, and made a hearty, delicious seafood soup.
And then, like a lunkhead, I failed to write down the recipe. I didn’t even think about it. It’s not like I write about food for a living, or anything.
Still, a recent cold snap had me thinking once again of cooking up several batches of that most wintery of dishes, soup. Naturally, I started out by attempting to re-create that magnificent seafood dish.
A great seafood soup begins with a good seafood broth. You can buy it, but it’s so easy to make one yourself. All you need is chicken broth, which I always keep on hand, and shrimp with shells on it. Just remove the shrimp shells, drop them in the broth and cook. After a few minutes, you have a superb, fresh-tasting seafood broth.
Along with the usual soup suspects — onions, garlic, carrots, celery and a single bay leaf — I added a can of fire-roasted tomatoes for a mahogany-like depth. Only at the last minute or two did I add the shellfish: the peeled shrimp, which I had chopped, some langostinos, which I had also chopped, and a handful of clams.
It helped that we happened to have the langostinos in the freezer when I first made the soup. The second time I made it, for this story, I used frozen bay scallops. Either way, it was terrific.
Admittedly, the shellfish soup recipe is a little complicated, so for my next soup I made what has to be the world’s easiest soup.
Honestly, I do not understand how something that takes so little effort can taste so good.
All you do is plop some broccoli into boiling water, and then blend it with some of the water you boiled it in. Season it with a little salt and pepper, and you have a brightly flavored, remarkably satisfying soup.
The recipe comes from Gordon Ramsay, the invective-prone chef from England, which may explain the superior results. Ramsay also suggests topping each bowl with a couple of slices of goat cheese and a few walnuts, but he emphasizes that these are not necessary.
If you like goat cheese, use the goat cheese. It makes the soup even better.
In a similar vein, I made a carrot and red pepper soup, which comes from Chez Panisse, one of the most famous and influential restaurants in the country. This is actually two soups, a carrot soup and a red pepper soup, but neither is significantly harder than the broccoli soup.
The carrot soup is just carrots and onion simmered in water and then pureed with a splash of lemon juice for contrapuntal tang. The red pepper soup is just red bell peppers simmered in water (no onion) and then pureed (no lemon juice).
They are both simple, pure flavors. The magic comes in the presentation. You pour a bowl of the bright orange-yellow carrot soup and then carefully ladle a little of the red pepper soup in the middle. It looks simply glorious, and it tastes even better.
For a heftier, meal-like dish, I chose to make a chicken tortilla soup. This is a traditional dish, popular south of the border and north of it.
With this soup, you make your own chicken broth by simmering some chicken. Mark Bittman, the not-always-reliable cookbook author, makes an extraordinary suggestion that turns out to be entirely reliable: add a couple of beef bones to the broth for extra depth.
The beef is nontraditional and completely optional, but I highly recommend it if you can find the bones. If not, you can use a cut of beef with a lot of bone on it, such as short ribs or flanken — which is short ribs sliced across the bone.
Another secret to this dish is the puree that you add back into the stock as a thickening agent. You put some of the stock into a blender and add a couple of tortillas that you have fried, a chipotle pepper or two, a little onion and some cilantro. This puree gives the soup some real heft, both in texture and especially in flavor.
The most fun part of any chicken tortilla soup, of course, are the garnishes. Once the soup is served, you can top it with a wedge of lime, shredded cheese, cilantro and, best of all, thin strips of fried tortilla.
For my final dish, I made what is perhaps the most famous soup of all, French onion soup. I made mine the traditional Parisian way, from my favorite cookbook, “Tasting Paris.”
To be honest, I don’t know what makes this version any more Parisian than any other. It is a relatively simple affair that begins with slow-caramelized onions, adds a lot of beef stock and a little white wine (maybe it’s the wine that is so Parisian?) and ends with a dash of red wine vinegar to temper the sweetness of the onions.
Of course, French onion soup wouldn’t be French onion soup without a couple of pieces of stale baguette floating on top, abso
lutely covered with an easily melted cheese such as Gruyere, all cooked under a hot broiler.
Assuming, of course, that the broiler in your brandnew oven works. Don’t ask.
GORDON RAMSAY’S BROCCOLI SOUP
1. Boil enough water in a large stock pot to cover the broccoli. Add 1 tablespoon of salt or more to the water. Add broccoli and boil rapidly until you can pierce it with a knife with little or no effort.
2. Remove the broccoli to a blender with a slotted spoon or tongs, but do not discard the water. Add enough of the water to the blender to fill it halfway. Add a pinch or more of salt. Pulse the blender several times to break up the broccoli and then purée for several seconds until smooth. Taste and season with black pepper and more salt, if necessary.
3. If using the goat cheese, dip your knife into the still hot water (or use the boiling water while the broccoli is cooking) to help you make smooth, even cuts. Cut 2 slices of the cheese for each bowl, dipping your knife in the water each time. Place 5 walnuts in the bottom of a shallow bowl and place 2 slices of goat cheese on top of them. Pour soup into the shallow bowl, drizzle with olive oil and serve.
Per serving: 246 calories; 22 g fat; 6 g saturated fat; 13 mg cholesterol; 9 g protein; 6 g carbohydrate; 1 g sugar; 2 g fiber; 535 mg sodium; 79 mg calcium
Recipe by Gordon Ramsay
CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP
Yield: 6 servings 2 1/2 pounds bone-in
chicken thighs or legs 1 pound beef bones or a cut with a lot of bone in it, such as short ribs, optional
1 medium onion, quartered,
skin left on
1 head garlic, halved across
the equator, skin left on 1/2 cup vegetable oil or more
as needed
6 corn tortillas, divided Salt
2 tablespoons canned chipotle chiles in adobo, or to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh
cilantro, divided 2 avocados, pitted, peeled
and cubed
4 to 8 ounces plain melting cheese such as mozzarella (not fresh), Oaxaca or Jack, shredded or cubed Lime wedges for serving,
optional
1. Put the chicken, beef bones if using, 3 of the onion quarters and the garlic in a large pot. Add water just to cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the liquid bubbles gently. Cook, skimming the foam off the surface every now and then, until the chicken is very tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, put the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, fry 2 of the tortillas (1 at a time, if necessary), turning once, until crisp and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Cut the remaining 4 tortilla into thin strips, add them to the skillet and fry, stirring to separate them, until crisp and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt while they’re still warm.
3. When the chicken is tender, transfer it to a plate or cutting board with tongs or a slotted spoon. When it’s cool enough to handle, shred the meat with your fingers, discarding the bones and skin. If you used beef, discard it or save for another use.
4. While the chicken is cooling, strain the stock and discard the solids. Peel the remaining quarter of the onion and put it in a blender with the chipotle, 1/4 cup of the cilantro and a sprinkle of salt. Crumble in the 2 whole fried tortillas and add enough stock to fill the blender a little more than halfway. Purée until the mixture is as smooth as possible.
5. Pour the purée and remaining stock back into the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the mixture bubbles gently and cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the shredded chicken, taste and add more salt if necessary. Divide the avocados, the cheese and the remaining 1/4 cup cilantro among 6 bowls. Ladle the soup into the bowls and garnish with the fried tortilla strips and lime wedges, if desired.
Per serving: 496 calories; 26 g fat; 11 g saturated fat; 194 mg cholesterol; 45 g protein; 20 g carbohydrate; 1 g sugar; 5 g fiber; 698 mg sodium; 204 mg calcium
Recipe by Mark Bittman from the New York Times
CARROT AND RED PEPPER SOUP
Yield: 10 servings 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick)
butter, divided
6 ⅔ cups water, divided
1 1/4 pounds carrots, cut
into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 large yellow onion, cut
into 1/4-inch dice
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper,
divided
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice 3 medium red bell peppers, halved, seeded and diced
A few drops of red wine
vinegar, if needed
1. For the carrot soup: Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a 6-quart soup pot. Add 1 cup of the water, carrots and onion. Bring to a low simmer, cover, and stew for 30 minutes or until vegetables are very soft and the water has almost entirely evaporated.
2. Add 5 more cups of the water and bring to a boil. In a blender, purée the soup, in batches, for 3 minutes each. Season with 1 teaspoon of the salt, 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper and the lemon juice. The soup should have a velvety consistency and be slightly thicker than heavy cream.
3. Meanwhile, make the red pepper soup: Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a 3-quart saucepan. Add the peppers, the remaining 2/3 cup of water, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until the peppers are very soft and some of the water has evaporated.
4. In the clean blender, purée the peppers with 1/2 cup of their cooking water (there should be more than that left in the pan) and pass the purée through a medium-fine sieve to catch any bits of skin. If the pepper soup lacks depth, correct it with a few drops of red wine vinegar. If necessary, thin the red pepper soup with a little of the remaining water so that its consistency is similar to that of the carrot soup.
5. Serve the soup in warm bowls, pouring 6 ounces of the carrot soup into each. Stir 2 tablespoons of the red pepper soup into the center. Optional additions are chopped chervil leaves and creme fraiche thinned with a little warm water to approximate heavy cream. Draw the cream over the surface with the tines of a fork.
Per serving: 94 calories; 7 g fat; 4 g saturated fat; 18 mg cholesterol; 1 g protein; 7 g carbohydrate; 4 g sugar; 2 g fiber; 268 mg sodium; 23 mg calcium
Recipe from “Chez Panisse Cooking,” by Paul Bertolli and Alice Waters
HEARTY SHELLFISH SOUP
Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1/2 pound shrimp with the shells on, thawed if frozen
4 cups chicken stock 1 tablespoon butter 1 small onion, diced 1 garlic clove, smashed 1 large red potato, cut in
1/2-inch dice
2 carrots, thinly sliced 2 ribs celery, thinly sliced 1 bay leaf
⅓ cup dry white wine 1 (14.5-ounce) can fireroasted tomatoes 1 cup bay scallops or langostinos, thawed if frozen
8 clams, thawed if frozen
1. Peel the shrimp and place shells in a large pot along with the chicken stock. Heat to a simmer and cook 10 minutes. Strain and reserve the stock; discard the shells. Meanwhile, chop the shrimp into small pieces and set aside.
2. In the same pot, melt the butter over mediumhigh heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
3. Return the reserved stock to the pot and add the potato, carrots, celery, bay leaf, wine and tomatoes. Simmer until the vegetables are soft and a knife or fork easily pierces the cubes of potato. Add the chopped shrimp, scallops or langostinos, and clams. Cook until the shrimp are pink, the scallops are hot all the way through and the clam shells have opened, about 2 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and the garlic, if you can find it, before serving.
Per serving (based on 4): 347 calories; 7 g fat; 3 g saturated fat; 132 mg cholesterol; 33 g protein; 36 g carbohydrate; 10 g sugar; 5 g fiber; 1,138 mg sodium; 112 mg calcium Recipe by Daniel Neman
PARISIAN ONION SOUP
Yield: 4 servings 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/4 pounds yellow onions,
thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons all-purpose
flour
1/2 cup dry white wine (or beer or a half-and-half mixture of port wine and water)
4 cups beef stock 1 tablespoon red wine
vinegar
4 slices crusty artisanal bread, trimmed as needed to fit your bowls 1 1/2 cups freshly grated cheese, such as Comté or Gruyère
Black pepper Nutmeg, preferably freshly
grated
1. In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Add the onions and salt, stir to combine, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are deeply caramelized, 30 to 40 minutes. If you find they are sticking to the bottom of the pot, add 1 tablespoon water and scrape off any stuck bits.
2. Stir in the flour, Add the wine and stock, scrape the bottom of the pot, and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook 15 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, then taste and adjust the seasoning. (This soup base can be prepared and refrigerated 1 day in advance. Reheat before continuing.)
3. Preheat the broiler. Divide the soup among 4 heatproof bowls and put them on a rimmed baking sheet. Top each bowl with a slice of bread and sprinkle each with 6 tablespoons of cheese. Put under the broiler, watching closely, until the cheese is golden and bubbling, 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with black pepper and nutmeg. Bring to the table on heatproof plates.
Per serving: 510 calories; 21 g fat; 11 g saturated fat; 52 mg cholesterol; 26 g protein; 54 g carbohydrate; 8 g sugar; 4 g fiber; 1,776 mg sodium; 488 mg calcium
Recipe from “Tasting Paris,” by Clotilde Dusoulier