soups

Borscht à la Rushina March, 2011

I adapted a traditional recipe to whatever I had in my kitchen: beets, red cabbage, green garlic in place of chives, yoghurt instead of sour cream, onions and wasabi paste instead of horseradish for the “to the nose” heat that counteracts the beet’s inherent sweetness. I also made it vegetarian. I loved the results so much that I will stick to it for future versions! After all, borscht is one of those recipes that has as many variations as cooks who make it. So, here is Borscht à la Rushina.

Aadaas b’Hammod January, 2011

Traditional Lebanese soups can be light and very liquid or thick and hearty, such Aaddass b’Hammod (lentils with lemon) which is a thick soup of Swiss chard, lentils, potato and green coriander.

Lemon-infused Chicken Soup January, 2011

I developed this recipe for lemon-infused chicken soup for Wish Magazine few years back when the theme was healthy cooking – a new year, a new you. I added the lemon and fennel (they are very subtle) as a bit of a twist to enhance the basic chicken stock but you can omit them for more of a classic stock if you like. It’s a warming simple soup that will nurture as you make it and as you eat it!

Fresh & Honest Ham Hock and Heirloom Bean Soup January, 2011

This is a richly flavoured soup that I recommend spicing up with chili pepper. The spice brings out the ham’s smoky flavour that much more. But, of course, the spice-intolerant among us can easily omit it.

White Bean Soup January, 2011

This soup is a great base recipe for many different bean/herb combinations. It’s creamy and soothing and just what you need to warm up on snowy winter nights or days. Umeboshi vinegar is a delicious salty and tangy seasoning that pairs well with the texture of the beans.

French Onion Soup January, 2011

The beauty of onion soup is that it is simple to make and needs little advance planning. Most of us have onions, a little butter, some stock and white wine on hand. If not, they are easy ingredients to procure. The tears are the only unavoidable pitfall as you slice the onions - there is no avoiding it. My onion goggles, a gift from a friend, have never worked. I’ve tried chilling the onions first, burning a candle as I chop but that doesn’t help either. However, a good, sharp knife does.

Sardinian Chickpea and Fennel Soup January, 2011

This soup has become a family favorite. I like to start with dried chickpeas when I have time, however this soup is equally delicious and a bit simpler to make with canned chickpeas. Just be sure to use a good brand of chickpeas and read the label to make sure there’s no sugar in the ingredient list. If there is, find another brand!

Spinach Nettle Soup with Sorrel June, 2010

Nettles are abundant in the New York area from early spring and into the beginning of summer, they add a unique rich herbal flavor that naturally goes well with other spring vegetables. Nettles are an excellent blood building and kidney tonic and can also be used as a tea. If you cannot find garlic scapes, replace with 4 cloves of garlic and roughly chop.

Dal Soup May, 2010

A bowl of Mom's patented Dal Soup (lentil soup) was always a perfect antidote – a sign that Mom was around and all was well with the world. Nope, it doesn’t really matter that one is in one’s 30s and has two children of one’s own – having Mom around is always soothing, and, for me, it is always associated with the scents of clove, cinnamon and bay leaf wafting from her lentil soup.

Sausage and Bean Soup with Cavalo Nero January, 2010

I’ve been making bean soups for many years, but this is my favorite. I like to serve it over toasted day-old bread that I’ve rubbed with fresh garlic and serve it with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. If anyone is still hungry, I usually follow with a salad of mixed greens.

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