Ms. S. recently dubbed me the King of Soups. It’s possible that she was exaggerating; it’s possible that I misremember exactly what she said. But hyperbole or not, it’s true that soups have recently been “my thing.”
Before this year if asked about what I cooked or baked “best” or “most enthusiastically,” eaters of my food would probably say dessert. For the longest time—since 1992 or there about—I provided cookies and muffins and brownies to departments and secretaries. I’ve never made a bad pie crust. After reading a Jasper Fforde novel I baked a Battenberg cake, I’ve prepared Sacher Torte after Sacher Torte for my students, and impressed Austrians with both the former and poppyseed cakes (Mohnkuchen). A few years ago I got into custards and puddings.
These things are relatively easy.
A simple soup is easier, quicker, and surprisingly tasty. I was not raised on Andy Warhol, but I grew up on cans of Campbell’s. Several years ago I discovered bags of mixed beans with flavor packets in the “ethnic” or “bean” aisle that were meant to be made into soups. I once followed Alton Brown’s recipe and, while living in Berlin, made a ‘French Onion Soup’ for a dinner party, but until this spring and summer soups were not part of my regular repertoire. Ms. S. and enjoyed our occasional can or box, often acquired at Big Lots or Publix or similar.
I realize that the cogs began to grind a few years ago. Friends were coming for dinner and I was inspired by ‘Top Chef,’ in which Spike, I believe, insisted that his team would have won a challenge if they had made his squash soup, with its secret ingredient: vanilla. Elsewhere online a friend shared the secret of his butternut squash soup: a bosc pear. And so my soup was born of both, with a hint of maple syrup, plenty of balsamic vinegar, and help from a couple basic videos on YouTube. Fast-forward through a Thanksgiving variation or two to 2012, when I began cooking more vegetarian and vegan dishes for Ms. S. Suddenly it was a matter of two or three things: [1] making a simple base, usually of onion, carrots, and celery; [2] considering which refrigerated ingredients needed to be used in the near future; [3] deciding which canned ingredients I had on hand or wanted to get rid of. And most recently I’ve added [4] “what can I make for dinner while Ms. S. is out …?”
Gordon Ramsay has a broccoli soup that is nothing but (a) broccoli, (b) water, and (c) a dash of salt. Even with some pepper added I find it a bit under seasoned. Furthermore I blended it with an immersion blender; it really needs to be blended smoother than that with a food processor, good blender, or several batches through something like ‘The Bullet,’ lest it remain too gritty. I’ll probably make it again … improved?
The mirepoix—carrot-onion-celery—base works wonders with a can or two of diced tomatoes, seasoned or otherwise, simmered, and then, also blended smooth. Up the carrots and spices for a carrot soup. And now Ms. S. and I have two other variations that are tastier and richer than the rest:
- Cauliflower & Tomato
- Black Bean & (Roasted) Tomato
I like to make 4 to 6 servings of each, since there’s just the two of us. In the former soup I used about two cups of fresh cauliflower along with either a can of diced tomatoes or fresh tomatoes that I roasted first. In the latter it was just a can of diced tomatoes, roasted in the oven with garlic, an onion, and olive oil, along with a can of black beans and some balsamic vinegar, vanilla, and hot sauce to top it off.
It’s only September—and in a state not known for its wintery weather—but autumn is upon us, and cooler temperatures necessitate warmer soups.
The reasoning for the seasoning?
