The gorgeous simplicity of a classic oyster stew has had a hard time lately. Chefs want to do the multi-ingredient razzle-dazzle with a dish that is perfect when you just leave it be.
(Potage Aux Féves Fraîche)
Lustily spiced, cooled with fresh herbs, and sharpened with lemon, this type of lentil soup is what Moroccans eat to ward off the chill of the desert night.
Here’s a simple and tasty soup that I think of as a “starter soup” —even someone who has never cooked could make this without any trouble. The amounts are pretty flexible, and the technique basic, and the result delicious.
Sturdy black kale, leeks and sweet potatoes keep their distinct textures and flavors in this chopped green soup, and the combination of tart, fresh lemon with toasted cumin just shines.
This chard and spinach soup gets complex flavor from slowly cooked onions and lemon juice, while a sprinkle of rice gives it body and a velvety texture. Serve with a swirl of fruity, fragrant extra-virgin olive oil for richness.
Once, wherever chestnut trees grew, the nuts were important food for the poor, and yet their taste is luxurious. This chestnut soup, one of my very favorite soups, presents its main ingredient beautifully. It happens to be French, although chestnut soups are made in many places. Chestnuts can be had only during the end-of-the-year season, of course, and the flavor of the soup depends on their quality — the best, when hot, have an aroma of honey — and on the clear flavor of the chicken stock. Along with that, milk is a light, traditional addition that respects chestnut flavor, but for years I’ve instead added cream, as below. Make your stock with a generous quantity of leeks, or reboil it with leeks before adding it to this soup.
The goal with vegetable broth is to make a good-tasting, well-balanced liquor with no one vegetable dominating the flavor.
Some soups demand a fireside, others require a summer afternoon. This soup defies seasons, and tastes just as delicious in the spring as in the winter. Perfect for dipping into with a hunk of brown bread or satisfying alone. The addition of whole peas and pecorino at the end makes for a satisfying sweet/salty finish. Plus, even Daniel made it through half a bowl before realizing Split Peas are still peas.
Time is on the side of this soup; it mellows with a day or two in the refrigerator, and freezes well.