The Soup Loop

Yesterday was, yes, too hot to cook soup for hours. But it didn't matter once we got the new issue of Gourmet . You'll see several of the recipes from their articles on Latin food in the next week or two at Soup Loop. Last night belonged to Pozole Rojo ...and guess what? This morning we were still in love. The truth is, when you set out to make pozole (a Mexican chile-sauced pork and hominy stew), you're in for several hours of cooking. Not working straight for four hours, but being near the kitchen for sure. I'd never made pozole before, so didn't really know how working with the dried chiles would go, or how spicy the finished dish would be, and there are some things I will change the next time I make it. First, I won't completely seed the dried chiles. My finished soup had less heat than I was wanting (my guests and I dressed up our bowls with some minced fresh jalapeno, and problem solved). Second, I will follow the instructions to tie the herbs together......

This is one of the best things I've ever cooked or eaten...I took Daniel Boulud's recipe and adapted it slightly. It's one of those dishes that gives you more leftovers than you think it will, that tastes better than you think it will, that impresses your friends more than you think it will, and teaches you a lot about cooking in the process. In the photo you can see big chunks of potatoes, chicken pieces still on the bone (just barely), nicoise olives, red bell pepper...vive la provencal. Note: using canned tomatoes saves you some time and another dirty pot. When tomatoes aren't the feature of a dish, I see no problem using canned, even in summer. Chicken Provencal (adapted from Daniel Boulud's Cooking in New York City ) one 3- to 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil salt and freshly ground pepper 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 8 spring onions, white part with 1/2-inch of green tops 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch thick st...

A friend recently suggested the subject for this post...in Arkansas, in August, the heat produced by braising and stewing just isn't an option (at least not in my barely-air-conditioned apartment). The nice thing about summer soups is that several of them require no cooking at all. Of course, you want to get the most organic, natural produce you can to prepare these, since there won't be any "cooking off" of chemicals. Another reason to have your own garden, or visit the Farmer's Market . 1. Gazpacho This soup wins, hands-down. Gazpacho is such a customizable soup, I think there's a version everyone will love. It can be chunky or smooth, spicy or mild, tomato-heavy or tomato-free. Traditionally it must contain bread, olive oil, and something acidic. That's it! These days it's synonymous with cold tomato soup. Part of its appeal is its ability to use up vegetables that seem to overrun some gardens this time of year (tomatoes, cucumbers, red bell pepper...

So here's what had to happen today: corn chowder. It makes great use of some of my favorite summer ingredients (sweet corn, red bell pepper, sweet onions, smooth potatoes, and basil) and it's pretty economical. Instead of using bacon for traditional smokiness, I used smoked cheddar for smokiness. It was surprisingly different. The slight sweetness of the basil works well with the cheese, I think. Corn Chowder with Basil and Smoked Cheddar (adapted from "Jalapeno Corn Chowder" by Paulette Mitchell ) 2 tablespoons butter 1 cup chopped onion 1 red bell pepper, minced 1 stalk celery, minced 1 carrot, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 russet or all-purpose potatoes, peeled & diced corn kernels cut from 3 ears of corn (about 2 cups) 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil (1 teaspoon dried) 1 cup milk 1/4 cup grated smoked cheddar cheese salt and pepper to taste Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Add the onion, bell peppe...

I love this book by Paulette Mitchell. It's all soup (well, plus a few accompaniments at the back) and all vegetarian. I'm not a vegetarian, and occasionally I sneak some bacon or a hambone into one of her soups. But all the ones I've tried are great. She does great things with garnishes. "Pear and Gouda Soup with Toasted Walnut-Cranberry Salsa" is a recipe whose title always makes me happy. The recipe appears below. I think the salsa would also be great on vanilla ice cream. Better yet, add a little onion and a minced jalapeno and try it over roasted pork. I bet a sandwich made with the salsa and pork would be un-terrible. Pear and Gouda Soup with Toasted Walnut-Cranberry Salsa soup: 2 ripe pears, cored, peeled, and coarsely chopped 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg salsa: 1/2 unpeeled red-skinned pear, cored and julienned 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons minced toasted walnuts 2 tablespoons c...

Welcome to The Soup Loop, my brand new beautiful blog. The title refers to my obsession with making soup, eating soup, and reading soup cookbooks. But that's not all that interests me. Check back often for the rest of the story.