Swiss Cheese and Vegetable Soup
A hearty meal which makes good use of any vegetables you might have on hand. You can use any reasonably sharp melting cheese to obtain a velvety texture.
Peruvian Shrimp Chowder
In Peru, Bolivia and Chile “chupe” means stew, a word from the Quechua language. Chupe de Camarones is a specialty from Arequipa. The key ingredient is Aji Amarillo paste (aji=pepper, amarillo=yellow) available nowadays in most US supermarkets, your Latino food store or online. It balances its medium heat, which you’ll feel in the middle section of your palate, with a bit of fruity flavor, a very agreeable sensation.
Thai Red Lentil Soup
Inspired by Master Ottolenghi, this soup is a load of comfort food done in minutes. Ideal choice when temperatures start to drop.
Shrimp Bisque
A traditional seafood soup inspired by the master of modern cooking, Auguste Escoffier. He uses the shrimp shells, which one normally discards, to prepare the fumet. It definitely makes a shrimp bisque more tasty and while it was innovative at his time, it is now standard procedure. Escoffier’s recipe is French classical cooking, the ‘haute cuisine’.
Caldo Verde
Caldo Verde (green broth) is a national dish in Portugal. Its main ingredient is a flat-leaf kale, like lacinato kale, a familiar sight in many Portuguese vegetable gardens. Collard greens or savoy cabbage are good substitutes.
Tomato and Mozzarella Soup
The soup tastes better the day after. The ideal make-ahead entrée to dinner dressed up with simple garnishes like fresh mozzarella. Leftovers can be frozen for an impromptu meal. A simple yet enticing recipe.
Chickpea Soup with Shrimps
Minestra di Ceci con Gamberi, a recipe from Sardinia, puts together what appears to be at first glance an odd combination: chickpeas and shrimps. You will applaud the outcome.
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Codfish Soup (Sopa de Bacalhau)
Salt codfish is widely used in Portugal in all shapes and forms. It’s no surprise, then, that there is a codfish soup recipe. Rarely found on restaurants menus, it’s dearly loved by country folks. It’s a poor man’s soup using water rather than fish stock. My recipe uses vegetable stock to maintain the traditional appearance of a clear soup yet with a more rounded taste.
Seafood Stew with Parsley Aïoli
An elegant Ragoût de Fruits de Mer using different cuts of fish and shellfish. It is served with parsley Aioli, a nice variation of the traditional Sauce Rouille normally used for fish stews in the Provence.
Roasted Garlic Soup with Shrimp
This is a more refined version of the well-known soup Aigo Boulido from the South of France. The Provençal name means “garlic boiled in water”. A house remedy for hangovers.
Sanibel Fish Soup
An easy to prepare, light and tasty fish soup from Sanibel Island. Firm-fleshed fish, like Grouper or Mahi Mahi are optimal, but Pollock or Cod are also suitable.
Portobello Mushroom Soup
Indulge in a dish that celebrates the earthy and natural flavor of the mushrooms. In the US, a substitute comes to mind: baby Portobello mushrooms, also known as creminis, Baby Bella and chestnut mushrooms.
English Fresh Pea Soup
A refreshing pea soup that requires very little time to prepare. The ideal meal for after you have “switched off” for the day.
Beetroot Soup with Feta Cheese
Beetroot soup is not only eye-catching but delicious too. Add a shot of vodka to it, and have a Borscht experience.
Dutch Mustard Soup
Groninger Mosterdsoep, a mustard soup with bacon and leek, is one of the famous classics from the north of the Netherlands. Groninger mustard is milder than Dijon mustard.
Roasted Asparagus Soup with Prosciutto Shards
An elegant choice for a first course or light lunch. The crispy Prosciutto shards add a lick of saltiness to each spoonful.
Potato and Chorizo Soup with Roasted Kale
Chorizo sausages give a spicy addition to the soup. Perfect for a cold rainy day. Simple to prepare and truly delightful. You can use any dark cabbage, like savoy or curly kale.
Mussels and Artichoke Chowder
Soup des Moules et Artichauts, one of my favorite seafood dishes from the South of France. Here in the US, Trader Joe’s frozen artichokes are my choice. They are the closest you can get to fresh artichokes.
Portuguese Bread Soup with Shrimps
Portuguese bread soup, the Açorda, has a porridge-like texture. Aside from bread, ingredients vary from region to region. A poor man’s soup, nourishing, simple and cheap, it has found its place on the fine tables of Portugal in the form of the Açorda de Camarão.
Chickpea Soup with Chorizos
Sopa de Garbanzos with chorizos or ham is one of the mainstays of the Spanish cuisine. The smoky, spicy Spanish Chorizo, the mild flavor of the chickpeas and spinach are a great combination. For a vegetarian option, I leave out the chorizo and substitute the chicken stock for a vegetable one.
Savoy Cabbage Soup with Ravioli
Soups of the hearty variety are common in the Aosta Valley in Italy. Zuppa di Valpelline is no exception. Traditionally made with old bread topped with melted Fontina cheese. My variation calls for large ravioli (2 per person) instead of the Fontina cheese bread.
Kale Soup with Cannellini Beans and Chorizo
I have a couple of recipes I call “wintry day picker-uppers”. Kale Soup with Cannellini Beans and Chorizo is one of them.
Sicilian Squid Stew
Calamari in Umido is a classic recipe of Sicilian cuisine. I love this dish as it is straightforward and easy to make as long you follow one rule: either you cook the squid for 3 minutes or 30 minutes.
Broccoli Soup
A simple and heartwarming soup prepared in less than 30 minutes. To make it more substantial, I place a toast drizzled with olive oil on top of it.
Creamy Carrot and Ginger Soup
The amazing bright color and taste of the carrots sparked up with ginger makes this soup an elegant choice for a dinner party.
Portuguese Fish Soup
Visiting Portugal last year I was able to enjoy the ubiquitous Caldeirada do Mar, a Portuguese fish soup. I choose to give it an African touch by adding a bit of Piri-Piri,