Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
Quick, cozy soups can taste like they simmered all day
If we are what we eat, then I’m about 20% coffee and 80% soup — especially in winter. But the problem with soup is that you have to play the long game: It takes time to develop flavor, and broths require patience to become their best selves and for their ingredients to soften and break down.
So when you do find that rare bird — a quick soup with loads of flavor — you’ll keep it around forever. I’ve featured a couple of quick soups below, as well as some easy winter dinners that hit on those cozy spoon food notes. Because sometimes it’s good to leave your comfort zone.
Chicken and rice soup
This soup is simultaneously cozy and fresh. It’s just the kind of thing you want to eat when you’re sick and seeking something that’ll perk you up and get you through it. The soup simmers long enough for the rice to start to break down so it thickens the soup. If you prefer a brothier soup that’s predominantly chicken and rice floating in broth, cook just until the rice is tender. Or if you want thick porridge, just keep simmering. (You can’t really overcook chicken thighs.) Lemon juice adds brightness, as does the lively mix of parsley, lemon, garlic and celery leaves strewn on top.
By Ali Slagle
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 40 minutes Ingredients:
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 4 celery stalks, leaves reserved and stalks thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup jasmine rice (unrinsed)
• Salt
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
• 1 tsp fresh lemon zest plus up to 1/2 cup lemon juice (from 2 to 3 lemons)
• 1 small garlic clove
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter (optional) Preparation:
1. In a large Dutch oven or pot, combine the broth, chicken, celery and rice. Season lightly with salt. (Some broths have more salt than others, so start easy.) Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the rice starts to break down and lose its shape, 20 to 30 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, finely chop together the parsley leaves, lemon zest and up to 1/2 cup celery leaves. Transfer to a small bowl, grate the garlic clove into the bowl, season with salt and stir to combine.
3. Using tongs, remove the chicken from the pot and transfer to a medium bowl. Using two forks, shred the chicken into pieces, then stir it back into the soup. Remove from heat, stir in the butter (if using), and season to taste with salt. Stir in the lemon juice a little at a time until the soup is bright but still tastes like chicken. (You may not use the full 1/2 cup juice.)
4. Divide the soup among bowls and top with the parsley-lemon mixture. (The soup, minus the lemon juice and parsley mixture, can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; the rice will absorb liquid as it sits, so add more chicken broth when reheating. Add the lemon juice and fresh herb garnish just before serving.)
Mapo potato
Let’s be clear: Nothing surpasses the hearty deliciousness of a traditional mapo tofu. But for those days when you find yourself without soft tofu in the fridge or when you are craving something vegetarian, this mapo potato will hit the mark. Potatoes step in for tofu and pork, providing a perfect vessel that eagerly soaks up all of the deep fermented flavors. (If you want a hit of protein, you can add some soft tofu just before you add the cornstarch slurry in step 3.) Doubanjiang, a fermented bean paste that is a staple in Chinese cuisine, provides mapo dishes with its signature spicy umami richness; each brand will vary in heat, so adjust according to your personal preference. If you don’t have doubanjiang, you could substitute with fermented black soybeans, which are less spicy but will give you similar salty funkiness.
By Hetty Lui Mckinnon
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
• Neutral oil, such as vegetable or grapeseed
• 2 to 3 tbsp doubanjiang
• 1 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns (from 1 tsp whole)
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 to 2 dried whole red chiles or 1/2 tsp red-pepper flakes
• 1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 1/2 lb Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes (about 5 medium potatoes), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 2 tsp cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tbsp water
• Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
• Chile oil or chile crisp, for serving, optional
• White rice, for serving Preparation:
1. Heat a large Dutch oven or wide pot over medium-high. When hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil along with the doubanjiang, Sichuan peppercorns, carrots and dried chile. Stir for 2 minutes, until fragrant and carrots have softened slightly.
2. Add the ginger, garlic and potatoes and sugar and stir well. Add the stock and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until potatoes are just tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Add the cornstarch slurry and stir carefully, doing your best not to break up the potatoes. (It’s OK if some of them break.) Remove from the heat.
4. Taste and season with salt, if needed. Finish with sesame oil and scallions and, if you want more heat, drizzle with chile oil. Serve with rice.
Black pepper and onion spaghetti
This rendition of Florentine spaghetti with red onions is so superlative, it has remained on the menu at Locanda Vini e Olii since the restaurant opened in Brooklyn in 2001. Michele Baldacci, the chef and co-owner, recommends a mixture of white and red onions for a more delicate, saucy result, and cooking them in a covered pot so they slowly braise in olive oil and their own juices. The sweetness of the onions is accented by tarragon and black pepper, plus optional grated cheese (which can be omitted for vegan diners). “We never add anything (else); we’re boring,” Baldacci said, but reckons livers would be delicious.
Recipe from Michele Baldacci Adapted by Ali Slagle
Yield:
4 servings (about 2 cups sauce)
Total time: About 1 1/2 hours Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lb white onions (about 3 medium), sliced 1/4-inch-thick
• 1/2 lb red onion (about 1 medium), sliced 1/4-inch-thick
• Salt
• 12 oz spaghetti or bucatini
• 2 tarragon sprigs, leaves only (about 2 tbsp)
• Finely grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-reggiano cheese (optional), for serving
• Freshly ground black pepper Preparation:
1. In a large Dutch oven or skillet with a lid, add the olive oil and white and red onions and set over medium heat. Once sizzling, cook until onions are slightly wilted and starting to sweat but not browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and translucent but mostly still in strands, about 1 hour. Adjust heat as needed to maintain a simmer, and if the onions are burning, add a few tablespoons of water. (Onions can be made ahead and refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for a couple months.)
2. When you’re ready to serve, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta water and drain.
3. Add 1/2 cup pasta water, the pasta and the tarragon leaves to the onions. Raise heat to medium-high and stir vigorously until the pasta is well coated in sauce, 1 to 2 minutes. Add more pasta water as needed until the noodles are glossy. Season to taste with salt.
4. Transfer the pasta to plates or shallow bowls and cover with cheese (if using) and generous grinds of black pepper.
Vegetable tortilla soup
This vegetarian spin on tortilla soup gets its savory flavor from deeply caramelized cabbage, which brings sweetness, bitterness and earthiness. It uses tortillas in two ways: Pulverized tortilla chips add body and a delightful undercurrent of nutty flavor. (Grinding the tortilla finely ensures that it integrates into the soup without needing a final blend.) They are also sprinkled on top, adding a satisfying crunch while echoing the soup’s corn flavor. Treat this recipe as a template and add whatever other vegetables you may have. As with other tortilla soups, the final garnishes are key to balancing the complex flavors. Don’t skimp on the lime, as its bracing acidity lifts all of the elements.
By Ham El-waylly
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
• 3 tbsp neutral oil, like grapeseed
• 1 small purple cabbage, halved, cored and finely shredded
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 packed cup tortilla chips, finely ground in a spice grinder or blender
• 2 cups tomato purée
• 3 canned chipotles in adobo, finely chopped
• 1 (15-oz) can pinto beans, drained
• Lightly crushed tortilla chips, diced avocado, vegan sour cream or yogurt, chopped cilantro and yellow onion, lime wedges Preparation:
1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over high. Add the cabbage, season with a large pinch of salt and cook, occasionally stirring, until softened, lightly charred in spots and smelling smoky, about 10 minutes. Add the sweet potato, onion, garlic and another pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion and garlic have softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the tortilla chips. Add the tomato purée and chipotles and bring to a simmer.
3. Add 5 cups of water and another large pinch of salt; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the soup is thickened and the sweet potatoes are cooked through, about 15 minutes. 4. Stir in the pinto beans; season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Divide soup among bowls and serve with desired toppings.
Sabut masoor dal (spiced brown lentils)
Traditional dal takes about an hour to cook. This recipe cuts that time in half by using high heat throughout the cooking process, removing extra water once the dal is tender and simultaneously cooking the masala. This kind of efficiency does require the use of two utensils, and it means watching a couple of burners at a time. It’s worth the effort because in the end, there’s the warmth of a big bowl of dal in around 30 minutes, a miracle when such comfort is most needed.
By Zainab Shah
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
• 1 cup whole masoor dal, soaked for 10 minutes and drained
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup ghee or neutral oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp ginger paste or freshly grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp garlic paste or freshly grated garlic
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chile powder, or any ground red chile
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander
• 2 medium plum tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 3 fresh Thai green chiles, stemmed and chopped
• 2 to 3 tbsp of lemon juice, from about half a large lemon
• 1/2 tsp garam masala, for garnish
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
• Rice or roti, for serving (optional)
Preparation:
1. In a large (about 6-quart) pot, add 7 cups of water, the whole masoor dal and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, cover and cook on as high heat as possible until tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.
2. In the meantime, prepare the masala: In a medium-sized (8-inch) frying pan, heat ghee over medium heat for 30 to 45 seconds or until melted. Add onion, ginger and garlic, and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add cumin, chile powder, turmeric and coriander. Mix well. Stir in tomatoes, add salt and Thai green chiles. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes break down and the oil separates (it will form an outline around the jammy tomato), about 10 minutes.
3. Remove 1 cup water from the pot of dal with a ladle (remove more if you want the dal to be thicker, or less or none of you prefer it thinner). Stir the masala from the frying pan into the pot of dal. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, or for 10 minutes for more tender dal. Turn off the stove, and stir in lemon juice. Sprinkle with garam masala and cilantro. Serve with rice, roti or by itself.