The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Super fast ‘Happy Soups’
Flavorful meals that can be cooked in 30 minutes or less.
The platonic ideal of soup is the image of a big pot slowly simmering for hours on the stovetop — even if nowadays it’s more likely to be a slow cooker perched on the countertop.
But what if you could cook up a fresh, flavorful soup in 30 minutes or less?
As it turns out, it can be easily done.
The key is having homemade or store-bought broth on hand, and gathering the kinds of highimpact ingredients that can be prepped to come together quickly.
Just in time for chilly weather, “Leon Happy Soups” by Rebecca Seal and John Vincent (Conran Octopus, $19.99), offers 100 recipes for hearty, healthy soups that show you how to do just that, and super fast.
The cookbook, out on Nov. 7, is an offshoot of Leon, the beloved British “naturally fast food” restaurant chain whose dishes that aim to “taste good and do you good.”
Most of the “Happy Soups” recipes can be made in less than an hour, including prep time. And many have a cook time of 10-30 minutes.
What’s more, there are glutenfree, dairy-free, vegetarian and vegan recipes, with a wealth of international flavors. And the eight chapters include takes on “naturally fast,” “comforting” and “posh” soups, along with recipes for broths, sides and toppings.
Tom Yum (Yum Yum) is a spicy Thai soup with shrimp and oyster mushrooms, brightly flavored with chili, lemongrass, galangal, and lime leaves.
Surprisingly, perhaps, it calls for boiling water rather than broth, and it cooks in just 12 minutes, deriving even more flavor and aroma from a final jolt of fish sauce, fresh lime juice and cilantro.
Perfect for a winter supper, Spinach, Sausage and Orzo Soup takes on the Italian flavors of tomatoes, garlic and Parmesan cheese in a hearty combo that recalls the textures of pasta and meatballs, and cooks in a quick 30 minutes.
Another 30-minute winner, classic Mushroom Soup, which can be made with either chicken or vegetable broth, is earthy, creamy and clearly belongs in the “posh” category — especially if you use the tip of serving it with truffle oil, a splash of sherry or brandy and some crusty buttered toast.
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» Recipes from “Leon Happy Soups” that can be made in under an hour from prep to bowl,
Just in time for chilly weather, “Leon Happy Soups” by Rebecca Seal and John Vincent (Conran Octopus, $19.99), offers 100 recipes for hearty, healthy soups that show you how to do just that, and super fast.
Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes
An earthy, creamy soup, that’s quick, easy, and yet quite posh.
1 tablespoon olive oil 1 pat of butter
1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves of garlic,
sliced
1 teaspoon thyme
leaves
6 sprigs of fresh flatleaf parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped, stems set aside and coarsely chopped
5 cups mixed
mushrooms, sliced generous 2 cups hot chicken or vegetable broth 4 tablespoons light
cream zest of ½ lemon salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve: buttered toast extra virgin olive oil
Place a large pan over medium heat and add the oil and butter. When melted together add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook gently for about 8 minutes, stirring and without coloring the onion. Next, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add the thyme, parsley stems, and mushrooms and cook until browned (don’t worry if the onion browns a little at this point too). Once nicely golden, remove a couple of tablespoons of mushrooms and set aside for the garnish; keep warm.
Add the broth to the pan along with a good grinding of black pepper. Bring up to a simmer, then cover and let cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
To serve, remove from the heat, add the cream and lemon zest, then blend until smooth. Taste and add more seasoning if necessary — how much salt you need will depend on your broth.
Serve with hot buttered toast, something tangy and crunchy like sourdough. Garnish with the reserved mushrooms, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and the chopped fresh parsley.
Tip: You also can garnish this soup with chives, truffle oil or even a little fresh truffle. Go retro and add a splash of sherry or even brandy along with the cream, and a bit of freshly grated nutmeg.
Serves: 2
Per serving: 268 calories (percent of calories from fat, 59), 16 grams protein, 18 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 21 grams fat (8 grams saturated), 35 milligrams cholesterol, 120 milligrams sodium.