Fresh Tart

I had the yummiest soup today at Beaujo's Wine Bar in Edina, for lunch with my aunt Mary.  Mulligatawny soup, thick with lentils and tender chicken and bright with turmeric and a hint of curry.  It got me thinking, once again, about how much I love (lurve) soups and stews.  Is there anything better on a cold day?  I say no.  Mmmm...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pictured here, clockwise from top left: whatever's in the fridge soup, french onion soup, New England clam chowder, and quick black bean soup.

I'd declare tomorrow night Soup Night, what with another *%^&ing snowstorm coming and all, but instead my mom and I are off to see Jersey Boys. I couldn't help but think as I watched last week, my mom must see this. So she is. Or will be... Can't wait!

But for any of you who will be knocking 'round your kitchen, trying not to look out the window, here are a couple of the batten-down/snuggle-up soups I'll wish I were eating. Man, nothing chases away a bad mood like a pot of soup - comforting (and simple) to make, plus nutritious and tasty. (It takes only a hint of smoky bacon or a splash of rich cream to make a so-so soup pretty damn fabulous.)

Top of the list - I have been loving the Sunday Suppers at Lucques (by Suzanne Goin, terrific book) watercress soup recipe I posted a couple of months ago - salty, buttery croutons afloat in silky, spicy deliciousness. I crave it. And I've found the basic recipe to be quite adaptable - we've had arugula and asparagus versions so far, both lovely.

Chicken soup with bacon, asparagus, and truffle oil is also delicious - fragrant, flavorful, quick to pull together. And one of our all-time favorites, which requires a few extra steps but is quite worth it, fish soup with grilled bread and rouille, oooh, pretty insanely good. Grilling the bread adds a hint of smokiness, while the rouille rounds it all out with a spicy-garlicky kick. Ka. Pow. Yeah.

Of course, New England clam chowder is always warm and filling on a cold spring's night. Especially this version, chock full o' baconand creamy but not thick. With warm crusty bread, or even popovers (rarrr...), it could be almost pleasant to ride out (frozen) April showers. Almost.

And oh, here's a must-read for those of you who already embrace (or at least aspire to) the art of eating (very) well without weighing 400 pounds. Moderation, anyone? As Jason Perlow, a founder of the foodiest of forums - eGullet - notes in the article, “I think you can still keep the food very interesting, but do it in moderation. That’s what the food community of the future is going to have to be.” Or, as the livin' large Food Network star and New York chef Mario Batali said, “You can’t eat a large portion of a pig and lose weight.” Damn, forget a quest for measured pleasure, THAT should be the tag line for this blog!

I am on such a soup kick lately, not sure what gives, other than I haven't been feeling 100%. Not downright sick, but just not great either, and my tummy peeps for soup! soup! Especially after my walk this morning - hello zero degrees - ouch! (Really, it hurt, and took me a long time to thaw out despite dressing appropriately... mos def not fun.)

So tonight I made a rib-stickin' classic, New England Clam Chowder, which of course is best made with fresh clams (and their juices), but the Cooks' Illustrated pantry version is a damn close second. Most critically not thick and goopy, like so many restaurant versions (whassup up with that?), it's creamy/brothy, chock full of bacon and potatoes and clams...salty, briny fabulousness. Especially with a piping hot loaf of crusty bread (I luckily had a Toast-to-Bread brand whole-grain baguette stashed in the freezer...mental note to replace it, handy and delicious).

In less than an hour, one of the most flavorful soups you'll ever sip (slurp!) from a spoon. Goodness. Yeah.