Tag Archives: soup

Soup Season

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This time of year makes me smile.  And while we may not relish the early nightfall that squashes those favorite after-dinner strolls, who can resist the falling leaves, saturated in fiery color, or the gaggle of holidays from Halloween to Diwali, Thanksgiving and beyond?  Call me odd, but I crave weather that pleads its case for a cozy jacket on foggy mornings.  The drizzly weekends that prompt card games and family hang out time.

And the soup.  This is its season.  Steamy broth laced with vegetable chunks, lentils or healthy greens.  Add a few noodles and fresh herbs.  Spice it up if you like.  Or purée the lot to a satiny consistency that swaddles the spoon like a blanket.  There’s any number of possibilities.  All warm.  All delicious.

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Spiced Tomato Soup with Cilantro

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This vibrant soup is loaded with sweet, vine-ripened tomatoes.  Cook up a pot when the garden is laden with scarlet fruit—so many you can cut up six cups worth, and still have a few to spare.  Or make a trip to the farmers’ market in early fall, before the last of summer’s jewels are gone for good (at least until next year).  If you don’t have that many fresh tomatoes, substitute a larger amount of canned.  The flavor won’t suffer, even if the broth isn’t quite as sweet.

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Escarole Soup with White Beans

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An entire head of curly-leaved escarole goes into this pot.  The slightly bitter flavor of these winter-loving greens compliments creamy Italian beans.  If you have a hard Parmesan rind left after the cheese has been grated away, don’t toss it out, throw it into the pot.  It’s an old trick that add lots of deep flavor.  Be sure to fish it out before serving though, or someone will receive a gooey surprise.

If you cook your own beans rather than using canned, save the cooking liquid and substitute some for the broth.

Freeze leftover soup in plastic containers for a quick dinner or lunchbox choice.

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Zucchini and Chard Soup with Basil

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I don’t typically post recipes on the weekend.  Family life is full plus my publishing cycle centers on delivery day.  Occasionally there’s an exception though, when we cook up something truly special that makes use of the week’s delivery in a way we hadn’t anticipated earlier in the week.  A dish that warrants sharing.  This soup follows that pattern.  It was born of a crisper drawer loaded with leafy greens and a growing pile of zucchini, as the usual cadre of go-to recipes fell flat with my audience.  Something entirely different was needed.  A reach.  Despite its obviously healthy complexion, even those who wouldn’t normally give green soup a chance in this house were welcoming.

Zucchini and Chard Soup with Basil

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Lentil Soup with Roasted Tomatoes

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Lentils are a healthy staple of the vegetarian diet, and a cheap, versatile protein source for anyone—meat-free or not.  They cook up quickly and add hearty body to a simple soup. I like Umbrian lentils from Italy—they hold their shape well with cooking—but any brown lentil will do. The flavor of this soup is amped up with a pint of roasted cherry tomatoes.  You could toss most any leafy green into the pot—kale, collards, mustard greens, chard.  Substantial leaves will need a bit more simmering to soften.  Try some chopped fresh herbs for serving—especially cilantro or mint.  And a last minute drizzle of fruity olive oil.

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