As the kids head back to school, weeknight soup suppers can be a real sanity saver. Warm and delicious, these “dinner-in-a-bowl” entrees can be a luscious meal when accompanied by a simple salad and some warm bread.
I keep a list of delicious soups on the inside of my pantry door, so in a pinch I have a reminder that I can rely on. It’s a strategy that seems essential in these demanding times. Sometimes I make a double recipe, then cool and freeze half of the treasure for later use.
Chipotle Pozole
There’s something very comforting about a steaming bowl of pozole, the tender cubes of pork adrift in a broth that sings with subtle spiciness. The stew-like concoction is loaded with hominy. In the translation from Spanish, “pozole” means hominy. Hominy is the name given to whole corn kernels that have been cooked in a lye or lime solution to remove their thick hulls. Their puffy texture is creamy and tender, their flavor filled with corn personality.
If serving young children, decrease the amount of chipotle by two-thirds.
Yield: 8 servings, half can be cooled and frozen if desired
INGREDIENTS
4 cups canned cooked hominy, drained
1 1/2 bones boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat, cut into 1-inch chunks (boneless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch cubes can be substituted)
1 large onion, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 canned chipotle chili, mashed with 1 tablespoon adobo (adobo is the sauce in the can), or more to taste or use less if serving children
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or marjoram or 2 teaspoons dried
1 tablespoon ground cumin, or to taste
Salt and pepper
Garnishes (any or all): Chopped fresh cilantro, crumbled queso fresco or goat cheese, diced avocado, crumbled cooked bacon or pork rinds, chopped green onions or cabbage, lime wedges, minced jalapeno or other fresh chili, fresh or cooked salsa, sour cream or Mexican crème, sliced radishes
DIRECTIONS
1. In Dutch oven or large saucepan, combine hominy, pork, onion, garlic, chipotle and adobo, oregano and cumin. Add enough water to cover by about 1 inch and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Bring to boil on high heat; adjust heat so the liquid bubbles steadily but not violently. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until pork is tender, about 1 1/2 hours; add more water if necessary. The pozole should be soupy.
3. Taste and adjust seasoning; add more mashed chili and adobo if you like; continue cooking for another 5 minutes or so. You can cool and refrigerate the pozole for up to several days; reheat gently before proceeding. Serve in bowls, garnished with any, or all of the suggested garnishes.
Source: Adapted from the newly revised “How to Cook Everything” by Mark Bittman (Houghton Mifflin, $37)
Carrot Ribbon, Chicken, and Coconut Curry Soup
Because I like to cook for my grandkids, I adapt the original recipe from “Mostly Meatless” cookbook from America’s Test Kitchen. The original recipe calls for 2 to 4 tablespoons of Thai yellow curry paste, I stick with the 2 tablespoons. For optional additional spiciness, I pass a squeeze bottle of sriracha sauce. If the snow peas are withered at the supermarket, I substitute green beans or sugar snap peas, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch lengths.
Yield: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 pound carrots, peeled, see cook’s notes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 to 4 tablespoons Thai yellow curry paste
1 pound ground chicken, see cook’s notes
2 cups water
1 cup canned coconut milk (shake can well before use)
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
6 ounces snow peas, trimmed, sliced 1/2-inch thick on diagonal
4 green onions, trimmed, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 cup fresh Thai basil, see cook’s notes
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, torn
Lime wedges
For passing: Sriracha
Cook’s notes: The recipe calls for shaving the carrots into thin ribbons, but I have been known to save time in a pinch by using pre-shredded carrots, reducing the amount to 10 ounces (the ribbons are prettier, but this saves a lot of time). Also, because it is easier to find, I have substituted ground turkey on occasion for the ground chicken. Fresh Thai basil is delectable and has a wonderful scent, but most grocery stores don’t carry it. If you can’t find it, substitute fresh sweet basil that is easy to find.
DIRECTIONS
1. Shave carrots into thin ribbons lengthwise with a vegetable peeler; set aside. Combine oil and curry paste in Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken and cook, breaking up meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until chicken is no longer pink, 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Add water, coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, and reserved carrot ribbons. Bring to a simmer, then add snow peas and simmer until vegetables are tender-crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Divide between individual serving bowls. Sprinkle with green onions, basil, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and pass sriracha sauce to create an optional addition of spicy heat.
Source: Adapted from “Mostly Meatless” by America’s Test Kitchen
Chowder With Halibut, Saffron and Potatoes
I’ve made this bouillabaisse-style chowder many times over the years. It’s a simple soup that showcases the flavor pairing of fish, potatoes and bacon. Rather than small pieces of fish, this recipe uses 5-ounce fillets. It calls for halibut, but you can substitute cod, mahi mahi, or Chilean sea bass.
Yield: 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
4 thick-cut slices bacon (about 1/4 pound), cut into thin crosswise strips
1 1/2 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green portions only, about 2 large leeks)
3 (8-ounce) bottles clam juice
1 pound Baby Dutch Yellow potatoes or fingerling potatoes, washed, dried, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, or if small cut in half lengthwise
1/2 cup dry white wine or water
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
1/2 cup whipping cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
6 (5-ounce) cod or halibut fillets
DIRECTIONS
1. Cook bacon in heavy, large pot over medium heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Add leeks to pot. Cover and cook until leeks are very tender, stirring frequently, for about 4 minutes. Add clam juice, potatoes, wine or water, thyme and saffron. Bring to boil on high heat; reduce heat to medium and cover. Simmer until potatoes are just tender, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Stir in cream and the reserved bacon. Taste and adjust seasoning, add salt, if needed, and pepper.
2. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper; place atop chowder. Cover and cook until fish is opaque in center, simmering about 10 minutes and lowering the heat if necessary to maintain a gentle simmer.
3. Using slotted spatula, transfer 1 fillet to each of 6 bowls. Ladle chowder over fish and serve.