It’s hot in Sevilla in the summer. So hot that you’ll cross the street just to walk (slowly) on a sidewalk shaded by buildings and clench a water bottle in a sweaty fist at all times. Hot enough that the streets are watered to control the dust and tamp down the odors that exude from the pores of an old city clogged with layers of grime from ages of everyday human activity.  And summer is when the mid-afternoon siesta becomes essential for survival, rather than an irritating waste of time when the stores are shuttered and dark.

Imagine yourself inside a walled courtyard. Just behind the door is a narrow city street, but here you sit in the shade beside a gurgling fountain, amid flowers hanging from the walls in glazed pots. Relief. Perhaps your lunch includes a bowl of cold gazpacho.

Gazpacho is one of those dishes that gets a lot of playtime during this sweltering season. It uses ingredients at their prime this time of year – tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers – and requires absolutely no cooking, little prep, and lets a blender do all the work.

You can even pretend to hop on the raw food bandwagon with this recipe, should you wish. Super healthy, and it goes down easier than a salad.

Let’s talk tomatoes. The star of this dish, it’s important to use good ones. If you aren’t growing them in your backyard (I’m certainly not, I live in a fog bank June through August), head to the farmer’s market and pick up some of the heirloom variety. Meaty, flavorful and aromatic, they are what make this soup taste really good.

Tomatoes are the main ingredient of legendary dishes from countries like Spain and Italy. The ironic thing is that this flavorful fruit likely originated in prehistoric South America and didn’t arrive to Europe until the 1500s. And then it took another couple hundred years to convince Americans that tomatoes were ok to eat, despite their relation to the “deadly nightshade.”

Back then, those crazy, romantic French dubbed the ruby red sphere pomme d’amour or “love apple” – which is what it first was called in the U.S. and why it’s so easy to fall for this dish.

Gazpacho de Andalucia
Adapted from Cooking in Spain, Janet Mendel
- serves 6 -

2 slices bread (I use French or Italian bread – cut a chunk roughly the size of 2 slices of sandwich bread)
3-4 large, ripe tomatoes (heirloom, if you can get ‘em)
1 green bell pepper
½ cucumber, peeled if waxed
1 c roughly chopped white onion, rinsed
1 large clove garlic
1/8 c good extra-virgin olive oil
¾ t salt
2 t sherry vinegar

Suggested toppings:
Minced green pepper
Minced white onion
Chopped cucumber
Chopped tomato
Chopped hard-boiled egg
Bits of bacon or jamon serrano, cooked
Croutons

Put the bread in a bowl and add water to cover. Leave to soak. Roughly chop the tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, onion and mince the garlic. Rinse the chopped onion under cold water. Put tomatoes into the blender first, then follow with the rest (you may have to do in two batches). Give the blender a whir until all is pureed. Strain into a bowl, using a spoon to stir and press the liquid through the sieve. You should be left with just a few tablespoons of vegetable pulp.

Squeeze the water from the bread and add to the blender, along with the olive oil, salt, vinegar and a few tablespoons of the tomato puree (enough so that you can get the blender to engage). Blend until the bread mixture is smooth. Ladle in a bit more tomato puree and blend so that you get a “pourable” consistency. Add bread mixture to the bowl of tomato puree and stir. If it looks/tastes too thick for your preference, add a little water. Taste to correct seasoning.

Chill in the fridge at least 1 hour.

To serve: Pick a few (or all!) of the toppings listed above and either sprinkle on top of bowls of gazpacho before serving, or pass around the table with the soup for people to add themselves.

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3. Got a pulse? Try some lentil soup.

I think lentils, an ancient food, are the crop to save the future as we adapt to new weather patterns hastened by “global weirding.”

The more I read about lentils, the more I wonder why I don’t eat them more often. As a crop, they can tolerate extreme temperatures and survive with minimal water and no irrigation. Lentils are high in protein, fiber, iron and folate and form the backbone of vegetarian diets around the world. They cook fast and absorb all kinds of flavors. They’re cheap and store well.

Also, lentils, like beans, are an important rotation crop, as lentils fix atmospheric nitrogen into the soil for nitrogen-loving cash crops like wheat and corn. As a rotation crop, legumes like lentils also help reduce overall pest, weed, and insect problems – and the need for toxic pesticides.

Lentils, in the legume or pulse family (along with beans, soybeans, peanuts, and peas), grow on a bushy plant in pod. There are only about two lentil “seeds” in each pod, which can be damaged easily by mechanized harvesting, making the harvest somewhat labor-intensive. Around the world, it seems lentil plants are most often pulled up by hand, left in the field to dry and then taken to a threshing facility where the seeds are winnowed from the dried-out plant. (An extra bonus, the “waste” plant material is prized as feed for livestock.)

There are lots of varieties of lentils to try, from the black beluga lentil to the French green puy lentil.

For this lentil soup recipe, I used the common red variety, which breaks down into a velvety texture. To create this dish, I tweaked a recipe from Cooking Light to use up leftover Easter ham I had in the freezer…and, of course, added some bacon for extra goodness. The addition of lemon juice and parsley at the end brighten up all the flavors. I’m actually typically not a huge lentil soup fan, but have already made this recipe twice in a month.

Lentil Soup
- serves 6 -

1 ½ strips bacon
1 c chopped ham
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 c chopped celery (about 2 large stalks)
1 c chopped carrot (about 2 large)
½ t dried thyme
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
2 c dried red lentils
5 c chicken broth
1 c water
1 (14.5 oz) can chopped tomatoes plus some juice
2T fresh lemon juice
2T fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
salt & pepper

Render the bacon in a dutch oven over medium high heat until browned. Add ham and onion, celery, carrot, and garlic. Add a little olive oil if needed. Saute veggies 5-10 minutes. Add lentils and stir for 2 minutes. Add broth and water, thyme, bay leaf, tomatoes a few tablespoons of the tomato juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover; simmer 20-30 minutes or until the lentils are soft and starting to break down. Let cool 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

Put about 3-4 cups of the soup mixture in blender, with center piece of blender lid removed. Place a paper towel and a folded kitchen towel loosely over the opening to try and keep from splattering – it’s hot, so be really careful, it wants to explode. I may not have cooled it down enough, so if you want to be extra careful, let the soup cool more before this step.

Return blended soup to pot and stir in lemon juice, parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

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Quinoa Soup, Saigon Style. Served with homemade dumplings

Continuing the quest for healthier food, we’re delving into whole grains. Next on the list, quinoa. I’ve cooked it once before, and it wasn’t good. But it’s apparently a superfood — loaded with nutrients and protein, and devoid of anything bad for you. So it was worth a try. Thankfully, we had Rebecca Wood’s The Splended Grain for guidance, and found this great recipe for quinoa soup, Saigon style.* We love Vietnamese food, so I figured if anything can make quinoa taste good, it would be some fish sauce, lime, and cilantro.

But first, some education. Quinoa has grown in popularity enough that we’re no longer at the “keen-WHAT?” stage, but it’s still not something everyone is familiar with.

Quinoa is a grain. Or is it? Maybe it’s a grass. Or a pseudo-grain. (Seriously? Pseudo-grain?). It’s part of the goosefoot family, related to beets and spinach, if that helps clarify things.

At this time of year, Jewish cooks might be wondering if this grain-like item is kosher for Passover, when most grains are forbidden. It is. Or maybe it isn’t. It’s confusing. Proceed with spiritual caution.

Grain or not, it’s got its very own section in a cookbook all about grains, and that’s where we got this tangy soup.

Quinoa Soup, Saigon Style
Adapted from The Splendid Grain

1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 medium onion, chopped. About 1 cup.
6 C chicken stock
1/2 C quinoa
1 medium bell pepper, diced small
1 1/2 tsp finely minced ginger
2 tsp minced garlic, or two cloves minced/pressed
1 tsp Sriracha or other hot sauce
1 Tbsp light brown sugar
3 Tbsp soy sauce
3 Tbsp fish sauce
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 C bean sprouts
1/2 C chopped cilantro

In a medium saucepan, saute the chopped onions in the sesame oil over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes, until well-browned.

Add the chicken stock and bring up to a boil. Add the quinoa, bell pepper, ginger, garlic, hot sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Stir to combine. Return it to a boil, cover, and reduce it to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, check the seasoning and add salt or pepper to taste. Stir in the lime juice, bean sprouts, and cilantro, Serve immediately.

* I don’t think there’s much quinoa in Saigon, in soup or otherwise. But that doesn’t change the fact that this soup is fast, easy to make, and really good.

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Chicken Tortilla Soup
- makes 30 eight to ten oz. servings -

4 ea dry pasilla peppers
6 garlic cloves
4 lbs boneless skinless chicken thigh meat
Dry ground cumin
Dry oregano leaves
Ground chili powder
1.5 gallons strong chicken stock
4pk 6 ” corn tortillas
Canola oil
2 yellow onions
2 poblano peppers
2 red bell peppers
16 ounces of crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
1/4 cup pickled jalapenos with juice
2 bunches of cilantro
Lemon juice
Tabasco
Dry cayenne pepper

1. Season the chicken with the herbs & dry spices and cook the chicken — either grilled or pan fried.
2. While the chicken cooks make a puree with the dry pasilla, garlic & some stock.
3. Chop the cooked chicken & save any juices so that they may be added to the soup.
4. In a pot sweat the onions & peppers in a little oil.
5. While the vegetables cook, grind up 3 packs of tortillas in the food processor and cut the last pack into strips for garnish.
6. When the vegetables are soft & lightly browned add the chili puree, tomato paste & cook for 5 minutes.
7. Add the chopped chicken, stock, juices & crushed tomatoes into the pot.
8. Simmer the soup.
9. Season with cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt, pepper, pickled jalapenos, lemon juice & tabasco.
10. Adjust consistency with ground tortilla.
11. Finish the soup with the chopped cilantro.

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Kale is one of those ingredients that I didn’t know about growing up and now it’s the trendy “green” to cook and serve. I’ve experimented with many different kale recipes, both cooked and raw — with roasted delicata squash or in an Asian peanut dressing, respectively. It’s a form of cabbage so it has a great crunchy texture and meaty quality. Since I’ve been into cooking soups lately I decided to try a bean and kale soup, adapted from a Cooking Light recipe.

Chunky vegetables are the key to making a soup feel like a meal! I love big chunks of veggies and always end up doubling the veggie count for recipes. I chopped up several carrots, celery and onions to make the soup heartier. I find that these types of soups need a lot of salt and the rosemary gives it a great flavor. If you want a thicker soup you can try adding in a potato or two, although I think it’s perfect the way it is — especially on a cold, winter day.

Bean and Kale Soup
Adapted from Cooking Light

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 onions
4 carrots, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
6 cups chicken stock
1 bunch stemmed kale
3 cans no-salt white beans (I used navy and black eyed peas as this is all I had in the pantry)
Black pepper
Salt
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary

1. Heat dutch oven over medium heat with oil. Add onion, carrots and celery. Saute for 5-6 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and garlic and cook for a minute or two. Stir in 5 cups broth (I used chicken but could use veggie) and kale. Bring to boil, cover and reduce heat.  Simmer 3-4 minutes until kale is tender.

2.  Place half of the beans and remaining 1 cup of stock in blender or food processor. Process until smooth.  Add mixture and remaining beans to dutch oven. Salt & pepper soup to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5-6 minutes.  Taste to make sure enough salt and pepper were added then stir in vinegar and rosemary.

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Barley Minestrone

4-5 strips bacon
olive oil
1/3 onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
4 red potatoes, cubed
2 large stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
handful green beans, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 zucchini, cubed
½ bulb fennel, chopped
1-2 cups roughly chopped kale (optional)
48 oz. chicken broth
28 oz. canned tomatoes – whole, in tomato juice, roughly chopped, or snipped with scissors
2 cans white cannelini beans, rinsed
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried thyme
1 ½ T dried oregano
rind of Parmesan cheese*
½ cup barley
¼ cup parsley leaves and stalks
Salt & pepper

Chop bacon and render in a dutch oven. Add a little olive oil and saute onion, carrots, potatoes, celery, garlic, fennel, beans and zucchini in the bacon fat and olive oil for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add broth, cannelini beans, tomatoes and barley, then bay leaves, oregano, thyme, and the Parmesan rind. Simmer until potatoes are tender. Add kale if you want, parsley and adjust seasoning to taste. Serve with grated Parmesan and toast.

* When you finish up a piece of Parmesan, freeze the rind until you make this soup!

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Back to the miso. I know it’s fermented soybean paste. But I didn’t know that there were so many varieties and that it also could be made from fermented grains like barley and rice. And, although the store sells two varieties, I never bothered to compare the two. Until now!  The two types sold there are pretty common (from what I’ve read): white miso (shiro miso) and red miso (aka miso). The packaging of the red variety actually says “tezukuri miso,” which, if the Internet can be believed, colloquially means “authentic” or “homemade.” A bit of marketing there, though lost on the non-Japanese speaker!

According to a cookbook I have, miso provides protein as well as other nutrients, like B vitamins. It’s traditionally fermented four to five days and then aged for two or more years – except for the white or shiro miso, which is used right away after fermenting.

My informal taste test revealed that to me, the shiro miso has a tangy, sharper taste than the aka miso, which has a smoother, rounder flavor. Which makes a lot of sense now that I know about the aging process. I like the aka miso best for this soup. I’ll have to experiment more with this ingredient for marinades and salad dressings. I also read that some cooks smear miso paste directly onto fish, which is then baked or broiled. Seems to me that it would either be too salty (if you used too much) or not have a lot of flavor (if you used just a little bit). This is something I’ll have to explore for a future post!

Quick Miso Soup
- serves 2 -

32 oz. chicken broth (I would like to try using dashi, broth made with seaweed)
8 oz. firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 green onions, sliced
7 oz. instant noodles (I get instant Chinese wheat noodles* that are yellow – yay, Yellow #5! – and say “pancit canton” on the package. These are soft and sold in the refrigerated section. If you buy fresh, be sure to cook them first, otherwise they will soak up all the broth and turn your soup into mush.)
2 Tbsp aka miso
2 tsp soy sauce
Potstickers

In a pot, whisk aka miso into chicken broth and soy sauce and heat gently (I knew you weren’t supposed to boil it for some reason, and found out that boiling can kill the active cultures in the miso – like in yogurt – which are good for you).  Add green onions, noodles and tofu and heat through until noodles are tender. Ladle into bowls, top with cooked potstickers.**

* Another interesting find as I searched the Interweb for information (and then called my Filipino friend) – “pancit canton” seems to be a typical Filipino dish made with “Chinese” noodles and other Chinese-influenced ingredients.

** I buy frozen potstickers so that I have them on hand – Trader Joe’s has some decent ones. To cook, add a few tablespoons of water and a tablespoon or so of canola oil to a non-stick pan. Bing to a simmer, add frozen potstickers and cover with a lid. The water will evaporate, steaming the potstickers, leaving oil to fry them in. I have found that it’s best not to flip them often, as they stick (hence the name!). Just leave them to fry on one side until crispy – then flip.

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I love this time of year when the crisp Fall air settles in and there’s nothing better than staying at home with a steaming hot bowl of soup.  Last weekend was the perfect day for making soup, and one of the soups I made was Butternut Squash.  This rich, thick, sunny colored soup just makes everything better.

I found a great butternut squash soup recipe in Cooking Light magazine this month, although I felt it needed more seasonings.  By adding in cumin, aleppo pepper and garam masala the soup was perfect (although next time I may puree apples in it to give it more sweetness)!  I topped it with spiced seeds from the butternut squash, non-fat Greek yogurt & chives.  The seeds were so yummy that we ended up nibbling on these before the soup was done!  Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup with Spiced Seeds
Adapted from Cooking Light

For the spiced seeds:
1 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 egg white
1/4 tsp water
1/8 tsp salt (I added more than this)
1/8 tsp cinnamon (I added a pinch more than this, but I love cinnamon)
Dash of red pepper
Seeds from a butternut squash (or from a pumpkin)

For the soup:
1 (3 1/2 lb) butternut squash (mine was a little bigger)
1 tbsp canola oil
3/4 tsp kosher salt
4 cups less-sodium chicken stock (I used about 6-7 cups to accommodate my larger squash)
2 cups water
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp cumin
pinch or two of aleppo pepper
Non-fat Greek yogurt
Chives

Prepare the spiced seeds:
1.  Preheat oven to 300°F.
2.  Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.  Rinse and dry seeds completely.
3.  Combine first 7 ingredients, then add in seeds. Spread mixture on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat.  Bake for 15 minutes, stir the mixture, and bake for another 15 minutes.  Cool seeds on wire rack and then break into small pieces.

Prepare the soup:
4.  Preheat oven to 350°F.
5.  Brush cut side of squash halves with oil and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt.  Place squash cut side down on baking sheet.  Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes until tender.  Cool slightly (I left mine out for several hours while we went out).  Scoop out pulp and discard skins.
6.  Place squash pulp and broth in a large pot.  Using a hand-held mixer, blend until smooth (you can use a blender instead but it’s another dish to wash!).  Stir in 2 cups of water and remaining 1/2 tsp or more of salt to taste (I added much more).
7.  Cook over medium-high heat until thoroughly heated.  Season with garam masala, aleppo pepper and cumin to taste.  Spoon into bowls.  Top with Greek yogurt, spiced seeds and chives.

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