Polish Hunter Stew

(Bigos)

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Not for vegetarians! This is just crammed with meats and sausages, with the sweetness of apples more than balanced by the sharpness of sauerkraut--but it's hearty and delicious and really quite unforgettable. Traditionally served in Poland as a good-luck New Year's dish, it was originally eaten only by the Polish aristocracy (they being the only ones allowed to hunt game on their estates...and the only ones who could afford so much meat). Sophie Dill of Las Vegas, Nevada, notes: "being of Polish heritage--this soup always included chunks of potato. Also, adding 1/2 head of fresh cabbage makes it a much healthier soup! Otherwise, it brings back memories of "soup for dinner"--about 5 nights a week when I was growing up, about 50 years ago!!" Kazimierz Michalak adds that, from an eastern Poland point of view, the best variation is the one that uses equal parts sauerkraut and cabbage in the mix--and game, of course. Serve hot to 6 people as a filling meal, with boiled potatoes, a dish of sour cream, and lots of bread on the side.

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AUTHENTICITY ALERT! I've been contacted by Kazimierz Ziezio, who gives the following excellent advice to true hunters: "Some Hunter's stew--Where's the game? Add vension! Maybe some pheasant and rabbit. Saute the meat in butter add good Hungarian paprika, then sauté the mushrooms in the drippings. Add the best kielbasa you can afford. Not to do a plug, but go to www.Hapskielbasa.com if you can't find kielbasa made by a Pole. Wash the kraut out of the sourkraut! Then slowly cook the Bigos a few times in a crock for a few days. Serve it with sour cream, rye bread, good beer or dry mead!!" Kaz, prompted by me, says about himself, "My dad was not a hunter, but my uncles were. My dad would usually make Bigos for his poker games with the guys he grew up with on the Polish side of Utica, NY. That was where I learned to make his variation & play poker. But I've also had Bigos in a Polish-Chinese resturant that used to be open locally where the Polish chef made "Bigos from Warsawa"--tomato based & completely meatless! And in Poland where it resembled spare ribs & sour kraut. There are as many variations as there are Polish kitchens. Wesolych Swiat!"

• 1 cup chopped bacon
• 1 pound of boneless pork, cut into small cubes
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 onions, quartered
• 1/2 pound mushrooms, quartered
• 2 cups beef stock
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups sauerkraut, rinsed under cold water and drained
• 3 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
• 2 cups canned tomatoes, with juice, cut into pieces
• 1 cup diced cooked ham
• 1 and 1/2 cups Polish sausage, cut into small chunks
• salt and pepper to taste

Garnish: sour cream, served on the side

Fry the bacon in a Dutch oven, to render the fat, then toss in the pork chunks, garlic, onions, and mushrooms. Saute until the meat is browned--about 5 minutes.

Pour in the stock, tomatoes with their juice, sugar, bay leaves, sauerkraut, and apples, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 2 hours. Stir in the ham and sausage, then cover and cook on medium-low heat for about 30 more minutes.

When ready to serve, remove bay leaves and taste for seasoning. Ladle into bowls and serve with boiled potatoes, a bowl of sour cream, and thick, crusty bread.

Classic Italian Vegetable Soup

(Minestrone)

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A rich and filling Italian soup for cold days and nights. I have specified cabbage in the recipe, but Donna Simonetti of Old Bridge, New Jersey, recommends substituting Swiss chard in its place...while Jacquelyn Dewey of Tonawanda, New York, suggests spinach in addition to the cabbage--plus a stick of chopped pepperoni. They're both right--these are excellent variations. Deborah Tuban of Mountain View, California, recommends smashing some of the beans for a richer consistency. Serve the soup hot in small portions to 6-8 for a nice start to a larger meal--or to 4 who just want to stuff themselves on soup, bread, and maybe some red wine.

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• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, with leaves, chopped
• 1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 28-ounce tin of tomatoes, with juice
• 1 large can Italian white beans (Cannelli)
• 5 cups beef or vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup flat parsley, finely chopped
• 1 cup extra-finely sliced, then roughly chopped cabbage
• 2 zucchini, unpeeled and cut into little cubes
• 1/2 cup ditalini (little tiny macaroni)

Garnish: Parmesan cheese

Saute the onion and celery in the oil til wilted, toss in garlic and stir for a minute, then put in cut-up tomatoes and cook down for about 10 minutes to concentrate flavors. Stir in beef stock, reserved tomato juice, and beans and bring to a boil. Add half the parsley, lower heat, and cook for about 30 minutes.

Add cabbage, zucchini, and ditalini and cook at a gentle boil until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes.

When ready to serve, stir in the rest of the parsley, maybe sprinkle in some more minced garlic. Season to taste and grate in some black pepper. Ladle into bowls and pass the parmesan.

Italian White Bean Soup with Broccoli and Prosciutto Ham

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This hearty Tuscan soup is a superb blend of textures and flavors and colors--and is incredibly rich in protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Serve hot as a meal to 4, with lots of crusty bread.

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• 1 Tablespoon of butter
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced into thin rings
• 2 medium leeks, washed and sliced into rings through the white and light green parts
• 2 stalks celery, sliced (leaves too)
• 1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
• 3/4 cup dried cannellini (white) beans, soaked for 6 hours and drained--or a large can (28 ounces) of them, drained
• bouquet garni of 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns, thyme, parsley, and a bay leaf--tied into a little cheesecloth or coffee filter and secured with string or a twistie
• 8 cups water
• 1/2 cup prosciutto ham, sliced paper thin and finely diced
• 4 cups broccoli florets, cut into small bites
• 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Garnish: freshly grated Parmesan cheese

If you are using dried beans, soak them for at least 6 hours.

To start the soup, saute onions, leeks, celery, and garlic in the butter and oil on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Pour in the water and the drained beans, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and plunge in the bouquet garni of herbs. Simmer for 2 hours (less if you are using drained, canned beans).

When beans are completely tender, remove the bouquet garni, and season to taste. You can leave at a low simmer at this point.

When ready to serve, stir in the prosciutto ham and the broccoli. You don't want to do this earlier, because the broccoli will turn color. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until the broccoli is just tender. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and grind a little more fresh pepper into the soup. Ladle into bowls and garnish with generous handfuls of fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Hemingway Soup

(as told by S.A. Belzer,
Dining In/Dining Out section
The New York Times,
December 17, 1997)

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Mr. Belzer was kind enough to relate the background of this article and recipe--itself a fascinating soup tale. He had taken an autumn walking tour in the Pyrenees and Basque country that included a stop at the Hostal Burguete, famous as a stopover for "Papa"--and also for his protagonist Jake Barnes--where both were served "a big bowl of hot vegetable soup" (see below). The group of 18 on the walking tour were distinctly divided on the subject of Hemingway. In Mr. Belzer's words, most "were indifferent to Hemingway at best; some loathed him. It was more a personal than a literary reaction, having to do with the male chauvinism, traces of racism and anti-Semitism in his work, and the mean-spiritedness of 'A Moveable Feast.' I was his lone defender for what he did to change the writing of the novel in English--and, yes, also because he was a newspaperman, and we newspaper people have a warm spot in our hearts for him as one of us." On one subject, however, they were in agreement. The vegetable soup was wonderful. Out of this experience, his article in The New York Times was born.

Recreating the soup, however, was the hard part. The process by which the attached recipe was created not only testifies to The New York Times' meticulousness in research--it also gives a wonderful insight into the inner workings of newspaper food sections:
1. A member of the staff, who owned a house in southern Spain, called the Hostal Burguete and, after a flurry of calls and faxes, obtained a simple list of ingredients and brief cooking instructions.
2. Another member of the staff took the ingredients to a friend who ran a Basque restaurant in New York City. The restauranteur made comments and corrections, then provided quantities for the ingredients.
3. Finally, a cookbook writer-editor was tasked to whip the recipe into familiar shape and test it. Result: it was good.

And so the final story and recipe below appeared on December 17, 1997, two months after the experience.

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Not since Ernest Hemingway discovered bullfighting has the Basque country of Spain been so much in the American eye as now, because of the opening there of the Guggenheim Museum. The startling building in Bilbao, the Basque capital, has come to anchor like a great silver ship on the Nervion River. It promises to attract more visitors to the region than did "The Sun Also Rises," Hemingway's 1926 novel about the fiesta of the bulls in Pamplona....

About 80 miles east of Bilbao, however, across Euskal Herria, as the Basques call their mountainous region, is Burguete, a town that has long depended on tourists and is eager for more. There, the region's association with Hemingway lives on. The novelist stopped at Burguete to fish for trout as part of his trip to the Feast of San Fermin in Pamplona in 1924. And Jake Barnes, the narrator of "The Sun Also Rises," goes to Burguete with his friend Bill Gorton before the bullfights.

They stay at an inn about 3,000 feet above sea level. Though it's late June, the low-ceilinged, oak paneled dining room is cold. Bill sits at a piano and plays to keep warm. 'The girl brought in a big bowl of hot vegetable soup and the wine,' Hemingway wrote. 'We had fried trout afterward and some sort of stew and a big bowl full of wild strawberries.'

By that slender thread hangs the tourist trade of the Hostal Burguete, a converted farmhouse. It serves a hearty country soup and trout with ham. Visitors can see a piano into which someone has carved 'E. Heminway,' with a date in 1923. One tour group that stopped there this fall had mixed feelings about Hemingway, but praised the soup unanimously. To warm the cold winter nights ahead, here is the recipe for the soup with which a Basque town remembers an American writer.

HEMINGWAY SOUP
Adapted from Hostal Burguete, Spain
Total time: 3 hours

• 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 leeks, white part only, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound cured ham (serrano or prosciutto), preferably in one piece
• 1/2 pound dried white beans
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup thinly sliced green or white cabbage
• 1 cup fresh green beans, snapped into halves
• 1 cup frozen green peas

1. In a medium (4- to 6- quart) soup pot over low heat, combine olive oil, onion, leeks and garlic. Saute until onion has softened, about 10 minutes. Add 9 cups of water, ham, white beans and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer, covered, until beans are tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
2. Add cabbage and green beans. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Add green peas and continue to simmer 5 minutes more. Remove and discard ham. Adjust seasonings, and serve.
Yield: 4 servings.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 390 calories, 15 grams fat, 4 milligrams cholesterol, 240 milligrams sodium (before salting), 15 grams protein, 50 grams corbohydrate.

Grover Soup

(without remorse)

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Here's to Grover, my server wizard, who houses this website and who has met all my not-so-smart questions and requests with infinite patience and humor. Thank you, Grover. I think this rich and visual vegetarian brew--based on a peppery tomato soup of the Tarascan Indians (Michoacan, Mexico)--begins to approach my take on your own complexity and love of art. Serve hot to 6-8 people who aren't afraid of hot chile peppers! It's good as a light lunch or substantial first course.

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• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, mashed then lightly chopped
• 2 red peppers, chopped
• 1 1-pound can of dark red kidney beans (with juice)
• 1 cup fresh or canned tomatoes, chopped
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 6-ounce can of tomato paste
• 2 large dried ancho chilies, soaked in hot water, seeded, then cut into thin strips that can easily fit on a soupspoon
• 1 teaspoon oregano, crushed between your palms
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Garnish: 1 cup finely grated smoked cheese (cheddar or edam) beaten with 1 cup sour cream; finely minced cilantro; big tortilla chips

In a large saucepan, saute the onion, garlic, and red pepper in oil until the onion is just beginning to brown.

While vegetables are cooking, puree the kidney beans with their juice and with the tomatoes in a blender til smooth.

When the onions are done, pour in the stock, puree, tomato paste, ancho chilies, oregano, cumin, and black pepper. Stir well, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 45 minutes--stirring occasionally.

When ready to serve, grate the cheese and beat it into the sour cream. Mince the cilantro. Then ladle soup into flat soup bowls. Spoon the cheese-cream thickly in a cross shape (for Grover's patience) across each bowl--sprinkle with cilantro--and stick one tortilla chip in the center. Pass a bowl of tortilla chips separately.

Thanks again, Grover!

Church Supper Soup

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Ritchie Wallace, in Maine, sent this recipe in--an Italianate beef-vegetable soup, credited to Bonnie Vawter (a pastor's wife) in Missouri, that she found years ago in a magazine. It's rich and substantial, perfect for an evening meal or a pot luck. Ritchie--who lives in the woods of Maine with husband Tim, their great dane Gisburn, and two cats, Hillery and Tawanda--testifies that it helps "stave off the winter cold"...which got down to 19 below about the time she wrote. Serve hot to 12 people.

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• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large (28-ounce) can tomatoes, chopped and undrained
• 1 can (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, undrained
• 2 cups water
• beef bouillon cubes or concentrate, undiluted, that would dilute to make 5 cups of stock
• 1/4 cup parsley, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano, crushed between your palms
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 cup green beans, cut in 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup small elbow macaroni
• 1 Tablespoon pesto (or 1/2 teaspoon dry basil, crushed between your palms). You can often find pesto in the stores now--and just freeze it to use as you need it for a wonderfully fresh basil flavor.

Garnish: Parmesan cheese, freshly grated into a bowl.

Brown the beef in a large heavy kettle, draining off any fat. Add all the remaining ingredients except the cabbage, green beans, macaroni, and pesto. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the cabbage, green beans, and macaroni. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer until the vegetables are tender--about 20 minutes.

When ready to serve, stir in the pesto (or basil), then serve up with a big ladle and point your friends to the bowl of Parmesan as a topping.

Hearty Provençal Soup

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Quite unusual, I think, combining many foods associated with Provence, but not ordinarily in a soup. Mixed into a fairly standard vegetable soup are black olives--and make sure they're of the best quality--as well as a paste of anchovies and mint. Excellent! It's perfect for lunch, with crusty bread on the side. Serve hot to 4-6 people as a light meal.

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• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ¼ lb. bacon, cut into small pieces
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 red or green bell pepper, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 2 zucchini, cubed
• 25 green beans, sliced thickly
• 4 ounces gourmet black olives (preferably nicoise, but kalamata are fine)
• 2 Tablespoons anchovy paste
• 1 Tablespoon fresh mint, minced
• 6 tomatoes (or 10 canned tomatoes), peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 8 cups chicken stock
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven, then toss in the bacon pieces, onion, and garlic. Sauté for about 3 minutes over medium heat, then add the peppers, zucchini, beans, olives, anchovy paste, and mint. Stir well, reduce the heat, and cook on low for 10 more minutes. Add the tomatoes and potatoes and cook 10 more minutes, stirring from time to time. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil, then cook on medium heat for 10 minutes--season to taste with salt and pepper, and let simmer for another 10 minutes.

When ready to serve, check one more time for seasoning. Ladle into big bowls and serve immediately.

Superbowl Chili Soup

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No matter where you're watching the game, and no matter how many snacks and munchies are lying around, there's just nothing like the taste of chili to pep up the plays. This recipe is especially nice because, as a soup, it's not as filling as a pure chili con carne, but it's wonderfully authentic...creating a perfect small sweat on the back of your head. Just what this year's fans in "freezing" Tampa need. Serve hot with tortilla chips to 8 stalwart fans.

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• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 onions, cut in chunks
• 1 green pepper, cut into bite-size squares
• 1 red pepper, cut into bite-size squares
• hot chili peppers, chopped, to taste--be brave!
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 large 29-ounce can tomatoes, cut up (reserving juice)
• 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 6 cups beef stock
• 4 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 15½-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed (thus reducing the explosive side effects)
• 2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Salt and pepper

Garnish: chopped cilantro and grated white cheddar cheese

Brown the beef in a large saucepan until oil forms in the pan. Toss in the onions, garlic, and all the peppers and sauté until soft. Stir in the chopped tomatoes (reserving juice) and let them cook down over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, and let it cook down. Pour in the reserved tomato juice, the beef stock, and the tomato paste. Bring to a boil. Add the beans and let boil for several minutes. Reduce the heat, stir in the chili powder and cumin, partially cover, and let simmer for 30 minutes.

When ready to serve, ladle into bowls and garnish with grated cheese and chopped cilantro. Pass a bowl of tortilla chips while you're at it.

Raquel Welch's Wonder Soup I

(To Lose Weight)

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Not unlike the cabbage soup diet, but heartier and even cooked in a little oil. It's a great soup and one that you should eat to excess to lose the maximum amount of weight, according to Raquel. Plus you're not on a strict regimen and can take breaks from it as your life demands. You also have a lot of discretion in its making--you decide what and how much. Make a big pot and demolish it...make another pot....

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• onions, sliced thin
• 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
• cooked beans
• lentils or barley, soaked and rinsed
• beef, vegetable, or chicken stock
• cauliflower, chopped to bitesized pieces
• cabbage, shredded
• tomatoes, crushed or cut up (from the can)
• corn, fresh or frozen
• carrots, chopped
• green peppers, diced
• potatoes, cut in chunks
• garlic, crushed
• ginger, freshly grated or powdered
• chili peppers, chopped
• hot pepper sauce
• cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper

In a large stock pot, heat the oil and sauté the onions until tender. Add the beans, lentils, and/or barley with stock to cover, bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Toss in the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil with more stock, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are cooked but not too soft--about 30 minutes or so.

Raquel Welch's Wonder Soup II

(To Lose Weight)

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More of a pain to make than her devil-may-care cabbage soup, but a nice break and very pure. Good hot or cold. Makes about 6 cups of soup.

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• 1 quart water
• 1 pound string beans, stringed
• 2-3 celery stalks, stringed and chopped
• 1 bunch parsley, stems removed and finely chopped
• 3-4 zucchini, chopped

In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Toss in the string beans, celery, and parley, and boil on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add zucchini and continue boiling for 3-4 minutes. Puree, solids first and add the cooking water to your desired consistency--should be like pea soup. If you haven't gotten rid of all the celery and bean strings, you can press through a sieve.

Maggie's Black Bean Soup

(A Soup of Love)

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Ever heard a shockingly funny story that ended in a twist of heartbreak. That's this one from Maggie Fex of Sonoma County, California--and it comes with a terrific soup: rich and earthy but not overpowering; filling and nicely spiced with a fine range of textures and contrasts. Serve hot to 6-8 people as a stick-to-your-ribs meal and, as Maggie says, as a "love-offering...much more than physical nourishment. Soup is such a comfort food."

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Souptale: I'll tell you a story involving this soup, and I hope you won't be offended by it. Here goes:

The Winter of 1995 it flooded. Our neighbors across the street were on a lower elevation, closer to the Russian River, and as it continued to rain, their home was threatened. They (let's call them John & Mary) asked me and my husband if they could come & stay at our house. We said sure - you know, good neighbors & all that. They came over with practically all their worldly possessions, their two cats, and a litter box the size of a small child's wading pool.

It continued to rain over the next several days and the neighbors now had water in their living space of their home. The waters continued to rise and pretty soon the river was up to the 2nd step of my front porch. More rain was predicted and the roads were closed. They were flying people out by helicopter, people were leaving in boats. My husband Jim and I called our other neighbor, George, who lives up behind us on an even higher elevation. His place is a summer cabin with one bedroom and a woodstove. He lived in San Francisco and usually only came up on weekends or in the summer. We asked George if we could move up to his place if we had to evacuate our house. He graciously said yes, and told us where to find the key.

Meanwhile, impatient neighbor John has broken a window to get into George's house. He and Mary rush in and usurp the only bedroom, leaving Jim and myself on army cots in the front room. They leave their cats & their enormous litter box in our upstairs guest room.

Fortunately, I had made a big pot of this black bean soup, and I served it to everyone for dinner. John asks if there's any meat in the soup and I tell him yes, ham hocks. He turns up his nose, shoves the bowl away and pushes back from the table, an angry vegan. The rest of us continue to huddle over our steaming bowls in the cold cabin. The rain pours, we are collecting rainwater in buckets to wash with, and to pour down the toilet because we now have no water, and no power either. It gets dark very early and we light candles.

John goes off into the bathroom as Jim, Mary and I continue our meal. John comes out after awhile, walks to the middle of the room and says, "I have an announcement to make. The sewer system isn't going to take much more of this. I have one hundred and forty-seven plastic Safeway bags, and pretty soon we'll have to start defecating in those, although that may pose some problems for me, because, as a vegetarian, I have a tendency to splatter."

He actually says this, with a straight face.

I get up, and say to Jim, "Uh, honey, why don't you come outside on the porch with me and have a cigarette?"

Jim says, "I don't want a cigarette."

Me: "Oh, yes you do."

And I take his arm, lead him outside and shut the door. I then grab him by the shirtfront and say, "Jim, I don't care what you have to do, or who you have to call, but GET ME THE F*** OUT OF HERE! Everybody has their limits but mine stops just short of defecating into plastic Safeway bags with this clown. GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!!"

Jim agrees. He calls his chief at the San Francisco Fire Department, and he in turn calls someone else at the Office of Emergency Services, and they in turn call the sheriff. Two frogmen in a Zodiac boat come and fetch me, my husband, our duffel bag of clothes, medicines and a few essentials, and our cats in their carrier. We are going up the main street of Guerneville in a boat. "Oh, look, is that the roof of the hardware store? Is that the roof of the car-wash?" It is extremely surreal, and depressing, to see our town this way.

Eventually we ended up being evac'd out via Army transport truck, up on big huge enormous wheels, as we had missed the last helicopter out that day. It took 2 hours over mountain roads to get to Sebastopol, usually only about 15 minutes away by car. We were taken to a Red Cross Shelter which looked as if they'd hung a sign that said, "If you have lice, scabies, a personality disorder, poor hygiene, a drinking problem, a lot of tattoos and very few teeth, come on down!" Because that was who was there. Fortunately my brother-in-law picked us up there and took us to stay with my sister in Novato. After that we moved to a motel, until the waters had receded and the rain had stopped. Then we had the big clean up to do. The neighbors cats had crapped all over the guest room. John had let everyone in the neighborhood use our phone and there was mud tracked all over our hardwood floors in the kitchen. We were lucky not to have gotten any water in the living space of the house, just about a foot of water in the garage.

I made another pot of bean soup, and it was a long time before we felt much like talking to John & Mary.

My wonderful husband, Jim, passed away this March. He loved my bean soup - he loved everything I made. He said I was the best cook ever. What a pleasure it was to cook for him - it was so easy to make him happy. Food was a love-offering, one of the ways I took care of him, and showed that I cared. It was much more than physical nourishment. Soup is such a comfort food.

He liked simple things, well-made--bean soup, split pea soup, beef stew, chili, fricassee of chicken, etc. Most men seem to like that "basic" kind of food that sticks to your ribs and leaves you warm inside. I sure miss cooking for him - just one of the nine million ways I miss him. He was a good husband, my best friend, and a heroic man. He was a San Francisco firefighter for over 31 years, and he had beaten cancer, and fought the good fight against heart and lung disease for almost 9 years before he succumbed. He was one of the strongest people I have ever known. I'm so proud of him.

• 1 bag dried black beans, soaked overnight
• water
• 1 large or two small ham hocks
• 2 large white onions, peeled and chopped
• 10 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 4 large carrots, peeled and chopped into 2-3 inch pieces
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 6 - 10 whole cloves
• 10 whole peppercorns
• 2 - 3 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried savory
• About 20 whole coriander seeds
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cumin seed
• Dash of cinnamon
• Dash of red pepper flakes
• Malt vinegar or balsamic vinegar - splash

Garnish: dollops of sour cream, chopped cilantro, and finely chopped red onion

Drain the soaked the beans, rinse, and fill a large pot with enough water to cover the beans with at least 4 inches of water. Add ham hocks and bring to a boil, then turn down to a slow simmer. Add onion and the garlic, which you have smashed with the back of a knife slightly. Add carrots and celery. Add the rest of the seasonings except cinnamon & vinegar. Cover loosely and simmer for several hours (I like to take a nap while it's simmering). Stir occasionally to keep beans from sticking to the bottom of the pot. You want to cook it until the carrots are very tender and the onions are practically liquefied. If it gets too thick, add some more water.

Then, take it off the heat and pick out the meat and bones, and set aside. Discard all bone fragments and gristle. Strain the beans and broth and put about half the beans into a blender or food processor, along with the carrots (along with the the onion, celery & garlic, which will be almost liquefied at this point). Whiz until it is thick and smooth. Return this mixture to the broth, add the rest of the whole beans, and the meat. Mix well. Add splash of vinegar and dash of cinnamon, and bring it to a boil, then turn it off. Taste to correct seasoning. If you like a more spicy hot soup, you can add chili powder.

I serve this with a dollop of real dairy sour cream, the fattening kind, chopped cilantro and finely chopped red onion. With a pan of cornbread and perhaps a nice tossed green salad, this makes a great lunch or dinner. It is even better the next day, and it freezes well.

I don't add any salt to this soup, because very often the ham hocks are themselves very salty, and also because I happen not to like salty things. If you like more salt, you can either add some sea salt to the water you boil the beans in, or better yet, add salt at the table. This soup can be made vegetarian - just don't use the ham hock.

All quantities are approximate and seasoning can be adjusted according to preference. The savory is a must with the beans, though, as is the bay leaf and the coriander. You can omit the cumin, but I think it tastes better with it.

I just made this soup out of my head one day. We have drippy, wet winters here in Sonoma County, and here by the Russian River, it floods. We're above the flood line, but often the roads are closed and undriveable, and a pot of bean soup on the stove is heartening, warming, and always tastes good on a cold, damp day.

Knickerbocker Soup

(A familiar soup of the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard)

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This nutritious soup--full of beans, tomatoes, bacon, and chunky vegetables--is an old sailor favorite...and it's tough to find a recipe that makes under a 100 portions. This is a great one, though--pretty to see, filling, and belly warming on a blustery day. Serve hot to 8-10 people as a luncheon meal with lots of crackers.

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• 1/2 pound white beans, soaked overnight in plenty of water
• 10 cups beef stock
• 8 strips of bacon
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 pound tomatoes, peeled and chopped (canned are fined)
• 6 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 3 large waxy potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2-3 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• salt to taste

Soak the beans overnight in plenty of water, then drain and rinse. Bring the stock to a boil in a large soup pot, pour in the beans, reduce heat, and simmer for an hour, until the beans are tender.

While the beans are cooking, fry the bacon until it is crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels, leaving the bacon grease in the skillet. Toss in the onions and saute over medium heat until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Toss in the tomatoes and let cook down for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When the beans have cooked for about an hour, scrape in the tomato-onion mixture, then the carrot and potato chunks. Bring to a boil, season well with pepper, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the bacon, crumbled, and season with salt to taste.

When ready to serve, ladle into bowls.

Chunky Gazpacho

(Spanish)

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This chunky variation of Gazpacho, contributed by Carol Jo Thomas, is so good that it shocked me out of my purist stance on the classic Spanish "pureed salad". Carol Jo, a Southern California transplant to the Seattle area and a dedicated cook and trader on the stock market, serves this as a favorite summertime cooler to family and to guests. She notes that while the soup has a high acid level, it is full of beneficial antioxidants. I especially like it with a splash of lime juice (more acid!), which both blends and throws into high relief the crunch of the vegetables and the diversity of their flavors. The even, fine dice of the vegetables makes a difference in the eating--I recommend you take the trouble to chop carefully. It's wonderful. Serve cold to 4-6 people as a meal, 6-8 people as a first course.

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• 1 green pepper, seeded and chopped fine
• 3-4 tomatoes, skinned, seeded, and chopped fine
• 2 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and chopped fine
• 1 large bunch cilantro, chopped fine
• 1 large red onion, chopped fine
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon tabasco--or 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped fine
• 1 46-ounce can tomato juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• juice of 3 limes (optional)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

Garnish: cilantro leaves for each bowl

Carefully chopped all the vegetables the same small size, then mix in with the tomato juice, oil, optional lime juice, sugar, salt, and pepper. Let chill and cure in the refrigerator overnight.

When ready to serve, ladle into bowls and top each one with a cilantro leaf.

Tortilla Soup

(Sopa de Tortilla)

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There are as many different recipes for this classic Mexican soup as there are Mexican cooks...and enthusiasts. Actor Matt Broderick is one of the latter, as captured in Paul Newman's Own Cookbook, but this isn't his recipe--all the chili powder and cumin he recommends just overwhelms the soup to my mind. This one uses the ancho chile of Michoacán. You want even hotter? Use hotter chiles. Also, I've selected a "pretty" combination of garnishes--but, traditionally, you can just use whatever cheese, vegetables, even chicken that you've got around. It's the presentation of all these garnishes that makes it such a showstopper. Serve hot to 4 as a substantial first course or as lunch.

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• 2 Tablespoons olive oil (lard, if you want to be traditional)
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, left whole
• 4 canned tomatoes (about half a 15-ounce can), drained
• 6 cups stock--chicken is traditional, but vegetable is fine
• 1 dried ancho chile

Garnishes: fried corn tortillas; small cubes of fresh cheese (queso fresco or farmer's cheese) or Monterey Jack; fine chopped avocado; fine chopped red pepper, wedges of lime; and crumbled ancho.

First cut off the stem of the ancho, cut it in half, and throw out the seeds. Reserve 1/4 of the dried chile to use as garnish, then soak the rest of it in hot water.

In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in oil over medium heat until they are golden brown--as much as 12 minutes. Puree with the tomatoes and soaked ancho, then pour back into the saucepan with the stock. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

While broth is simmering, prepare tortillas. Traditionally, you cut day-old or dried-out corn tortillas in half, then slice the halves into thin strips--fry them on both sides in 1/3 cup of hot oil, until crisp--then drain. If time is of the essence, you can cheat with store bought.

When ready to serve, arrange cubed cheese and chopped pepper and chopped avocado in 4 flat soup bowls, then ladle over the broth, sprinkle each with the crumbled ancho, top with a mound of fried tortillas and serve with a lime wedge. The lime is important!

You could, of course, do all of this at the table for a truly dramatic presentation.

Meatball Soup Recipe #3511