Food Blog: New Year, Classic, Cozy Soups

Monday, January 4, 2021

New Year, Classic, Cozy Soups

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Monday, January 4, 2021

Good morning!

The layered history of banana pudding
I am thoroughly enjoying Bill Clark's (one of the co-owners of the late, beloved MeMe's Diner) new newsletter, and also this Hummingbird Swiss Roll
A guide to the tacos of Texas to obsess over until we can safely travel again

I was secretly hoping for a mild winter. Despite the fact that I am pro-snow and always wish NYC would get more, if there was ever a winter when it being just a tad more "outdoor friendly" would be welcome, it would be this one. Alas, my attempts at morning runs have been a bit benumbing the last few weeks, meet-ups with friends outside are cut short due to shivering, and soup has once again become my favorite balm. Well, at least that part is good. I used to find soup boring; each bite the same as the one before. I challenged myself to develop soups I found anything but sleepy and these are a few of the results, classic but unboring, the perfect January food. I hope you find a new favorite here, too.

Cheers,
Deb

Fresh and New

baked brie with balsamic red onions

New: Baked brie, my way: A simple, flaky galette dough, sweet-sour jammy red onions under and over the cheese, a paper-thin layer of Dijon, thyme, and a crackle of sesame seeds on top. This small packet of melting decadence is perfect for our small gatherings this week as we send 2020 on its way. Plus, a round-up of your favorite SK recipes this year. Happy New Year, friends. Thank you for spending some of yours with me.

Classic, Cozy Soups

lentil soup with sausage, chard and garlic

Bye bye, bland lentil soups. Hello, hearty and intense remedy for a cold day due to the magic of sizzling garlic oil. It's what finishes the soup and ruins you for all others, at once.

essential french onion soup

I consider this one of the most core recipes in my arsenal because it aligns with so much that I think is important in cooking -- inexpensive, easy to shop for, no cheffy tricks needed to make an impossibly good bowl of soup. Julia Child taught me how to make it; real life took it from there.

balthazar’s cream of mushroom soup

I've been making this soup since before Smitten Kitchen even existed (the dark ages, of course) and haven't tired of it yet. Don't be put off by its beige color; it has much more flavor, heartiness, and comfort within than it the humble-looking bowl suggests.

split pea soup

Split pea soup, my way: heavy on leeks, vegetarian, with a mix of punchy finishes and, before you even ask, Instant Pot directions too.

greens, orzo and meatball soup

A quick spin on a classic wedding soup, this one has perfect meatballs, greens, and just enough pasta to pacify the younger set (okay fine, I mean me).

spiced cauliflower soup

We turn this aromatic starter into a full meal with a spoonful of rice in the middle, a swirl of yogurt (optional if you want to keep it vegan) and a few wedges of toasted naan on the side. I always wish I'd double the recipe so we'd have leftovers -- don't let it happen to you.

baked potato soup

Everything awesome about baked potatoes in a bowl of something so warm and hearty, you might even briefly forgive January for being so ... wintry. Top with everything you'd load on a spud, or nothing at all. It works either way.

perfect, uncluttered chicken stock

Let's use this week, in part, to "stock up" (sorry, I had to) for soup season with a giant batch of the mystery ingredient behind every great pot of soup. Five ingredients (two are salt and water) and no work yields a taste and aroma like a Yiddishe grandmother had been toiling all night in the kitchen. It changes everything. I mean, not be overly dramatic, but it really does.

Goes Well With Soup

no-knead bread

A Treat

double chocolate banana bread

As it turns out, the answer to the question, "Why does banana bread need chocolate? Can’t there be one dessert that’s not improved by the addition of chocolate?" is no. Or not this one, at least.