While the potatoes cook, rinse and drain the arugula. Remove any large or tough stems and coarsely chop any large leaves. Set aside.
When the potatoes are tender, add the basil and salt and pepper to taste. Remove and discard the rosemary sprig—some leaves may stay behind in the soup, and that’s fine. Put a handful of arugula into each bowl and ladle the hot soup over it. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and/or cheese.
serving & menu ideas
Start with salad greens with Sour Cream Lemon Dressing and serve fresh fruit or Riesling Roasted Pears for dessert.
beans, corn & greens soup
This chunky soup is a satisfying supper in one bowl.
SERVES 4
YIELDS 7 CUPS
TIME: 25 TO 30 MINUTES
1 cup chopped onions
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground fennel
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes or ¼ teaspoon cayenne
2 cups rinsed, stemmed, and chopped kale or collards
salt
1 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can of beans, drained (black, white, or red beans, field peas, black-eyed peas, etc.)
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 cup water or vegetable broth
chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
In a pot on medium heat, sauté the onions in the oil until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the cumin, fennel, red pepper, and kale. Sprinkle with salt, cover, and cook until the kale is wilted, 3 or 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, beans, corn, and water and bring to a low boil, stirring often. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add more water for a brothier soup. Add salt to taste and stir in cilantro if you like.
INGREDIENT NOTES To prepare this soup in record time, skip chopping and cooking the onions and get flavor from salsa instead. (We like Herdez and Pace brands.) Instead of a 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes, use a 16-ounce jar of salsa and a 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes. And use frozen collards. Just heat everything but the greens in a soup pot. Add the collards when the soup is hot and simmer until they are tender.
serving & menu ideas
Sometimes we like to top this soup with crumbled tortilla chips and/or grated cheese, such as Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or asadero.
italian bread & cheese soup
This is the quintessential simple supper for many Italian families.
SERVES 4
TIME: 15 MINUTES
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed (optional)
1 quart vegetable broth
4 ounces Fontina, Gruyère, or Cheddar cheese
4 slices whole wheat bread
¼ cup chopped fresh basil or parsley
black pepper
In a soup pot, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook until just golden, not brown. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, grate the cheese (about 2 cups).
When you’re ready to serve the soup, toast the bread. Break each slice of toast into bite-sized pieces and place in individual soup bowls. Cover with about ½ cup of cheese. Sprinkle with basil or parsley and pepper. Ladle a cup of hot broth over the bread and cheese in each bowl and serve at once.
INGREDIENT NOTES We prefer whole wheat bread in this recipe because it has more flavor than white. Pumpernickel bread is another good option, great in combination with Cheddar cheese. And even though it gets soggy, toasting the bread makes a difference.
serving & menu ideas
Put a handful of chopped tomatoes or spinach or arugula in the bottom of the bowl under the cheese. Or try leftover Fresh Tomato & Mozzarella Salad on top of the bread in place of the cheese—scrumptious! Serve this soup with Broccoli Tomato Salad or Tomatoes & Onions with Mint. Have crisp apples and toasted walnuts for dessert.
mushroom miso soup
Broccoli and mushrooms make this miso soup a little bit unusual and a meal in itself. (See photo)
SERVES 4
YIELDS 8 CUPS
TIME: 25 MINUTES
½ ounce of dried shiitake mushrooms (6 to 10 caps)
1 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin or 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
8 ounces soft tofu
1 or 2 broccoli crowns
2 scallions
⅓ cup light miso, or more to taste
a few drops of dark sesame oil (optional)
Place the mushrooms in a small heatproof bowl and add the boiling water and the soy sauce and mirin or sugar. Cover and let sit until the mushrooms soften, about 15 minutes. While the mushrooms soak, bring 4½ cups of water to a simmer in a pot. Meanwhile, cut the tofu into small cubes, cut the broccoli into small bite-sized pieces (about 2 cups), and slice the scallions on the diagonal.
When the mushrooms are soft, remove them from the soaking liquid. Pour the soaking liquid into the pot of water, being careful to leave any sediment behind in the bottom of the bowl. Remove and discard the mushroom stems and cut the caps into thin slices.
Put the miso into a small bowl. When the soup broth begins to simmer, ladle a little of the hot liquid into the miso to soften it, and set aside. Add the tofu, broccoli, and mushrooms to the simmering broth and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the broccoli is bright green and just tender. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the miso. Serve immediately, topped with the scallions. If you like, add a drop or two of sesame oil to each bowl of soup.
variations
The broccoli can be omitted or replaced with other vegetables, such as snow peas, shredded cabbage, or bok choy.
Add cooked rice or soba noodles to the soup just before serving.
southwestern cheese soup
Mildly spicy, really homey, and satisfying. We’d like to acknowledge our friend Anne Kenney for the idea for this recipe.
SERVES 4 TO 6
YIELDS 10 CUPS
TIME: 30 MINUTES
2 cups chopped onions
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 4.5-ounce can of chopped mild green
