There is lots of trivia about soup:
- In the court of Louis XI, the ladies were so vain that they lived almost exclusively on broths and consommés because they thought that chewing food would distort their faces by developing ugly facial muscles!
- Frank Sinatra always asked for chicken and rice soup to be available to him in his dressing rooms before he went on stage. He said it always cleared his mind and settled his tummy.
- Another famous person who loved soup was Andy Warhol. He told someone that he painted those famous soup cans because it’s what he had for lunch—every day for 20 years!
- Soup has always been known as a curative for any ailment of the heart, mind, soul and body. An old Yiddish saying says it best: “Troubles are easier to take with soup than without.”
- Of soup and love, the first is the best.”—from an old Spanish proverb.
Our spate of cold, rainy days is finally ebbing—but while there’s still a chill in the air, here are three of my favorite easy-to-make soups:
HOT AND SOUR SOUP
Makes about 1-1/2 quarts serving 4–6
I love going to Asian markets because they are full of all kinds of mysterious and wonderful sauces and condiments. Two that have become staples for me are Chinese black bean garlic sauce and hot chili garlic sauce. With these two I can make a very fast and delicious soup base to which I can add all manner of things including mushrooms, tofu, spinach leaves, cellophane noodles, shredded chicken, whatever I have on hand.
6 cups rich vegetable or chicken broth
1 teaspoon hot chili garlic sauce
4 teaspoons black bean garlic sauce
2 peeled half-dollar-size coins of fresh ginger, cut in fine julienne
1 tablespoon brown sugar, or to taste
1/3 cup fresh lime juice or to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Add stock, sauces, ginger and sugar to a saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 5 minutes. Add lime juice just before serving. Season to your taste with salt and pepper.
LEMONY SPINACH SOUP WITH TORTELLINI
Serves 4
This is a wonderful way to enjoy prepared with dry or fresh tortellini in a low-calorie and filling way—the more vegetables I add, the less tortellini I need to feel full. I adore stuffed pasta, and eating it in soup with vegetables stretches the delicious experience while eliminating the calories of a rich sauce. Adding a squirt of lemon and the perfume of zest, gives me all the flavor I need and love!
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 tomatoes, diced
1 carrot, diced
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 pound of your favorite tortellini, ravioli or other stuffed pasta
1 pound fresh spinach leaves
A bunch of broccoli, cut into bite-size florets; in season, add zucchini, green beans, runner beans, pumpkin, as desired (optional)
2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped
About 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
4 to 5 green onions, thinly sliced
Coarse sea salt and black pepper to taste
1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve
In a large soup pot, heat together the broth with the tomatoes, carrot and half the lemon zest. When it comes to a boil, add the tortellini, and cook another 2 minutes or so, until the tortellini are al dente (this will depend upon the directions on the package as all stuffed pasta cook for different amounts of time).
Add remaining lemon zest, along with the spinach, vegetables (if using), the garlic and lemon juice. Simmer until the vegetables are just cooked, then ladle into bowls and sprinkle each one with mint, green onions and a tiny pinch of sea salt and pepper to taste. Accompany each bowlful with a wedge of lemon to squeeze in, as desired.
ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP
Serves 4 – 6
A classic soup preparation. If you don’t have the cheese rind you can substitute 1/4 cup grated cheese. Lore says that Italian wedding soup began as a dish traditionally served to the bride and groom at wedding receptions to help them, with strength and vigor, through the wedding night but historians disagree. The former is apparently not true. It gained its name from the harmony of its ingredients. In English “wedding soup” actually means “married soup” (minestra maritata) in Italian. This has led to the misunderstanding of how the dish came by its name. Darn!
For the meatballs:
Makes about 12
10 ounces ground dark meat turkey or chicken
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/3 cup finely chopped green onion
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill, plus sprigs for garnish
1-1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the soup:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion (1-1/2 cups) finely chopped
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery including leaves
1/2 teaspoon crushed fennel seed
5 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white vermouth or wine
1/2- inch piece parmesan or pecorino rind
1/3 cup small soup pasta such as stellini or stars
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
3 cups loosely packed chopped young kale
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Freshly grated parmesan
For the meatballs, mix all ingredients together until just combined. Form mixture into tablespoon-size balls and set aside
For the soup, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, celery, fennel seed and rind and sauté and stir until vegetables are softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes. Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook until the pasta is almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved meatballs and simmer for another 5 minutes or so. Add the fresh dill and kale to the soup and simmer for a minute or two. Season to your taste with salt and pepper. Remove rind if desired and save for another soup or eat! Ladle soup into warm bowls and sprinkle each serving with grated Parmesan.
