A light but surprisingly rich onion soup. Suitable for a simple lunch or dinner if served with a hearty bread (sourdough is best) and a salad and some milk, or use it as the soup course for a big dinner and impress everyone. My dad calls it "country style" because he was served something very like it (although, he thinks, made with chicken or beef stock) while staying with friends in the French countryside. Try to find butter with the ingredients "sweet cream" or "cream, salt"; it will taste much better. Use home-made veggie stock if possible, or, if you must, canned, but taste carefully before salting in that case! About four servings. Continue reading
Category Archives: Soups & Stews
Sopa Conde
This is my version of a soup I had at La Olla in Oaxaca. It's fabulous and pretty simple and gets rave reviews whenever I make it. It is not low fat, kosher, or vegetarian. You could make it one of the above by avoiding the manteca, but then you don't get the fun of buying manteca from the butcher and grossing out the cashier girl. Continue reading
Chile Verde
Sometimes spicy, sometimes mild. It just depends on the chiles you get. Pretty tasty either way. Continue reading
Sopa de Albondigas (Meatball Soup)
My dad's recipe, from a Mexican co-worker. I omit the celery all the time, just 'cause I don't have it. I've never found another recipe that uses tomatillos, but they both thicken the soup and add a great flavor. If you wish, you can blanch or roast the tomatillos, remove the skins, and mash instead of chopping, but it's so much easier just to chop. Measurements are approximate; I just judge by eye and throw stuff in. Use more or less water and broth depending on how thin you like it; if you don't use home-made broth, it will be saltier and not as fresh-tasting, but that's totally up to you. Cilantro is also known in some parts of the world as "fresh coriander". Killer with home-made tortillas. Continue reading
Chorba
A traditional Algerian stew – can be eaten alone or over couscous. This is my grandmother's recipe. Continue reading
Cream of Tomato Soup – a flexible recipe
You can make as much of this soup as you like, and it's simple. It's akin to the famous 4B's tomato soup, but I don't think 4B's has much national acclaim. Continue reading
20-minute Egg-Drop Chili
Creamy-tasting shortcut meatless chili. Makes a very filling meal for two, could easily be doubled. If you're a vegetarian, I'm sure there are veggie chili beans out there, or you could probably just sub a can of pintos with some extra spices. Continue reading
Left-Over Everything Soup
The perfect soup that takes care of all the left-over vegetables and leaves the fridge ready to be filled again! Continue reading
Pizza soup
I like to serve this with garlic bread. If I don’t have bread, I add one cup of macaroni about 10 minutes before serving. Continue reading
Paul's Famous Chili
Ok, so its not so famous. But its easy and good. Continue reading