Nella's Chicken Soup

Organic chicken breast
whole onion
couple cloves of garlic
couple stalks of celery
a couple of green zucchini
a couple of yellow zucchini
2 c. or so of baby carrots
1 fresh tomato
olive oil
salt
1 or 2 chicken bouillon (reduce the salt if you use the bouillon)

Chicken meatballs:
ground chicken breast
1 or 2 c. of parmigiano cheese
4 eggs
1 c. of bread crumbs
finely cut onion (1/4)
finely cut garlic
some fresh parsley finely cut
salt to taste

any type of pastina, ditalini, orzo, acini di pepe, cut spaghettini or
rice

• Wash, peel and cut all vegetables
• Place in a large food processor along with the onion and garlic.
• Make a nice creamy paste of all the vegetable and add to olive oil in a large stock pot
• When the vegetables seem golden add washed chicken breasts and a lot of water to cover the pot, I usually make enough in a very large pot that holds a couple of gallons, of course the ingredients will be in a larger amount
• Let the soup cook until the chicken is fully cooked and a nice oily surface appears

For the meatballs (optional)
• I mix the chicken with all the ingredients, if it is too soft I add more bread
crumbs. Sometimes if I make too much I will freeze some of the mixture
• I make very small/tiny meat balls and I add them to the soup and voilaʼ it is as simple as that, the children love the small sizes and we actually count in Italian how many chicken meatballs they have in their bowl :)
• Add the pasta and cook until done

Bacon and Cabbage Soup

In Ireland, boiled bacon and cabbage is a domestic staple. The bacon is usually a "collar" or shoulder, a moderately marbled cut with less fat than American bacon but a bit more than Canadian. The ingredients are boiled together and served with potatoes and a parsley cream sauce.

• 1 (1/3-pound) piece Irish bacon (available at specialty foods shops) or Canadian bacon
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 5 1/2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 Turkish bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 small head Savoy cabbage, cored, thinly sliced, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• Additions: white beans, carrot, celery, fresh thyme or rosemary

In small saucepan, combine bacon and cold water to cover. Cover, bring to boil over moderate heat, and skim foam from surface. Reduce heat and simmer 7 minutes. Drain and cool, then cut into 1-inch chunks. Set aside.

In 6-quart heavy stock pot over moderate heat, melt butter. Add onion and sauté, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add potatoes and sauté 2 minutes. Add stock, bay leaves, salt, and pepper and bring to boil. Reduce heat to moderately low, cover, and simmer until potatoes are soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add cabbage and simmer 5 additional minutes. Discard bay leaves. Working in 3 batches, in blender purée soup until smooth (using caution when blending hot liquids). Return to pot, stir in bacon, and rewarm if necessary. Ladle soup into bowls and serve.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

From Epicurious, adapted from chef Paul Flynn of The Tannery in Dungarvan, Ireland.

Ruth Reichl's 70s Pumpkin Soup

This isn't a soup, actually, it's more like a gratin baked right inside the pumpkin. I was 21, and I didn't care that it was incredibly rich. Today I mix the cream with chicken broth (about a cup and a half of cream to about a cup of broth). It's STILL pretty much of a heart-stopper but it's irresistible.

Another helpful hint: If you brush the outside of the pumpkin with oil, it will look better when it emerges.

Go out and buy a fairly small pumpkin with a flat bottom. Cut off the top, as if you were going to carve a jack-o-lantern, and hollow it out. Spread the seeds out and dry them to eat later.

Now get a good loaf of French bread, slice it and toast it lightly. Grate a goodly amount of one of the Swiss cheeses (Emmenthaler, Gruyere or Appenzeller). Layer the toast and cheese inside the pumpkin until it's almost fill. Then fill the pumpkin up with cream. Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg, replace the top of the pumpkin and bake in a 300 degree oven for about 2 hours.

Bring the whole pumpkin to the table. When you serve it be sure to scoop out the pumpkin flesh with the cheese and the cream. Serve with a light second course.

From Mmmmmmmm: A Feastiary

Pumpkin and Tomato Soup with Cheese

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 1 medium onion, chopped
  
• ½ cup chopped celery
  
• 1 garlic clove, grated
  
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  
• 2 pounds ripe juicy tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped
  
• 1 can (15 ounces) pureed pumpkin
  
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  
• Coarse salt and black pepper
  
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime or lemon juice
  
• ½ cup coarsely shredded Comte, Pecorino Romano, or sharp cheddar, plain yogurt or crème fraîche
  

1. In a soup pot, combine the oil, onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium to medium-low heat, until the onions are golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

2. Add tomatoes, pumpkin, 1 1/4 cups water, tomato paste and about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat to a boil and cook, covered, over medium-low heat, 10 minute. Uncover and cool slightly. Puree the soup with an immersion blender. If you don't have an immersion blender, carefully transfer the soup, in batches, to a blender or food processor and process until pureed. Return the soup to the pot. Add additional water to thin soup to desired consistency, if necessary.

3. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes. Stir in the lime juice. Taste and add additional salt and a generous grinding of black pepper. Ladle into bowls and mound about 2 tablespoons of cheese in the center of each serving, or if preferred add a swirl of yogurt or crème fraîche. Serve at once.

Makes 3-4 servings

Adapted from Fresh & Fast Vegetarian

Cold Tomato-Thyme Soup

• 5 tablespoons olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
  
• 2 cups finely chopped onions
  
• 3/4 cup finely chopped peeled carrots
  
• 2 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
  
• 1 bay leaf
  
• 3 pounds ripe tomatoes, halved, seeded, chopped (about 5 cups)
  
• 3 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
  
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried
  
• 1 cup hickory smoke chips, soaked in water 30 minutes, drained
  
• 3 3/4-inch-thick slices sourdough bread
  
• 1 garlic clove, halved
  
• Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)
  

Heat 4 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, finely chopped garlic and bay leaf. Cover; cook until carrots are tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes. Cover; cook until tomatoes release juices, about 10 minutes. Uncover; cook until juices evaporate, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Add broth and chopped thyme. Partially cover pot and simmer until mixture is reduced to 6 cups, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes longer.

Cool soup slightly. Discard bay leaf. Puree half of soup in blender. Stir into soup in pot. Season with salt and pepper. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)

Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Place smoke chips in 8x6-inch foil packet with open top. Set packet atop coals about 5 minutes before grilling. Brush 1 tablespoon oil over both sides of bread slices. Grill bread until lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side. Rub garlic clove halves over bread. Cut bread into 3/4-inch cubes.

Divide cold soup among bowls. Top with croutons. Garnish with thyme.

Makes 6 servings

From Bon Appétit | July 1997

Apple Squash Soup

• 1 large butternut squash
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 4 large apples, peeled, cored and quartered
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup rice milk
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Sea salt

Peel squash, cut in half and remove seeds. Cut into 2-inch pieces. In large pot over medium heat, sauté onion in oil until soft (about 5 minutes). Add squash, apples, stock, rice milk, coconut milk and nutmeg. Cover, bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until squash is soft. Purée with handheld blender and remove from heat to cool slightly. Season to taste with salt and serve.

SERVES 6

from CLEAN FOOD

Orzo Soup

A couple tips - use a great broth, with just a few ingredients in this recipe, it's key. Before serving be sure to adjust your salt, if the soup tastes flat, add more a pinch or two at a time until all the flavors pop.

• 7 cups vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat orzo (or other small pasta i.e. pastina)
• 2 cups chard or spinach, chopped
• 1 14-ounce can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes, well drained
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes.
• good quality extra virgin olive oil
• 3 egg whites
• fine grain sea salt
• some grated Parmesan cheese (to finish)

Bring the broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the orzo and cook until just tender - about ten minutes. Stir in the chopped spinach.

In the meantime, heat the tomatoes, red pepper flakes and a splash of extra virgin olive oil in a separate saucepan. Taste, and salt a bit if needed.

Just before serving, Slowly pour the egg whites into the soup, stirring quickly with a whisk. The whites should take on a raggy appearance. Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve the soup in individual bowls, with each serving topped with a generous spoonful of tomatoes, a drizzle of olive oil, and dusting of cheese.

Makes 4-6 servings.

from 101 Cookbooks

Hangover Soup

• 2 large heads garlic
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 3 whole cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 sprigs parsley
• pepper, to taste
• 2 cups tomato juice
• 3/4 cup uncooked orzo pasta or alphabet pasta or other small shell pasta
• 3 egg yolks
• 6-8 whole wheat bread croutes
• 4-6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese or monterey jack cheese, shredded
• finely minced fresh parsley or cilantro, for garnish
• 1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced, for garnish (optional)

In a large stock soup pot combine the garlic, stock, cloves, sage thyme, and parsley. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low, and let simmer gently, uncovered for 45 to 60 minutes. Strain the soup, pressing down the solids with the back of a wooden spoon to extract most of the garlic from the peels. Scrape garlic purée from the underside of the strainer into the broth. Discard the garlic peels and the spent herbs.

Add the tomato or V8 juice to the strained soup and bring it to a boil. Drop in the pasta and let it cook until done – 5 minutes for alphabets and 8-10 minutes for the larger shapes.

Meanwhile beat the egg yolks in a small bowl.

Put a croûte in each soup bowl and top with a handful of grated cheese.

When the pasta is done, ladle out a little of the hot soup into the beaten egg yolks. Whisk together, and then whisk this mixture into the soup pot. The soup should thicken almost immediately. Remove the pot from the heat, and ladle the soup over the cheese-covered croûtes. Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of parsley and/or cilantro, and top with a few slices of ripe avocado. Enjoy!

Yield: 6 servings

from Soup & Bread by Crescent Dragonwagon

Irish Lamb Stew

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 pound lamb (cut into bite sized pieces)
• 1 onions (roughly chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 Guinness (or other dark stout)
• * beef stock
• 1 tablespoon rosemary (chopped)
• 1 tablespoon thyme (chopped)
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 white potatoes (cut into bite sized pieces)
• 4 carrots (cut into bite sized pieces)
• 1 handful parsley (chopped) garnish

1. Heat the oil in a large pot.

2. Add the lamb and brown on each side.

3. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.

4. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.

5. Sprinkle in the flour and stir.

6. Add the Guinness and enough beef stock to cover.

7. Add the rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper.

8. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the lamb it fork tender, about 1-2 hours.

9. Add the potatoes and carrots and some more beef stock to cover.

10 Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until they are tender, about 20-60 minutes depending on cut.

11. Plate and garnish with parsley.

from Closet Cooking

Easier Chicken and Dumplings

STEW

• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 small onion, chopped fine
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed (about 1/2 tablespoon)
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 3/8 cup dry sherry
• 1/6 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 ounces frozen peas (about 3/4 cup)
• 2 tablespoon minced parsley

DUMPLINGS

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup heavy cream

1. FOR THE STEW: Bring broth to a simmer in Dutch oven over high heat. Add chicken and return to simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until chicken is just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and tent loosely with foil. Transfer broth to a large bowl.

2. Return empty Dutch oven to medium-high heat and melt butter. Add carrots, onion, and salt and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Stir in sherry, scraping up browned bits. Stir in reserved broth, cream, thyme, bay leaf, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until stew thickens, about 20 minutes.

3. FOR THE DUMPLINGS: Stir flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in cream until incorporated (dough will be very thick and shaggy).

4. TO FINISH: Discard bay leaf and return stew to a rapid simmer. Shred reserved chicken and add to stew along with any accumulated juices, peas, and half the parsley. Shape dumplings by dividing into 9 equal pieces and rolling each into a ball. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until dumplings have doubled in size, 15 to 18 minutes. Garnish with remaining parsley. Serve.

serves 3 to 4

adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Winter Vegetable Soup

• 4 slices bacon in 1-inch piece
• 4 tb unsalted butter
• 2 c diced leeks
• 1 1/2 c diced onions
• 1 c diced celery
• 1 1/2 ts dried tarragon
• 1/2 ts dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 5 c chicken stock (homemade preferred)
• 2 1/2 c diced potatoes
• 1 lb rinsed spinach 1/8 inch slivers
• 1 1/2 c sliced carrots*
• 1 1/2 c shredded cabbage*

1. In large soup pot, cook bacon till fat is rendered (5 min), remove & discard.

2. Add butter, then leeks, onion and celery. Cook over low heat till wilted (15 min). Season with tarragon, thyme salt & pepper. Stir well.

3. Add stock, potatoes & carrots. Simmer till tender but not mushy (15 min).

4. add half the spinach and the cabbage, simmer 1 minute.

5. Remove from heat. Puree half the soup in a food processor or blender & return to pot.

6. Simmer over low heat and add the remaining spinach and the cream. Heat well but don't boil. Adjust seasoning and serve.

Serving Size : 6

Recipe found in “The New Basics” cookbook Lulins/Rossi *ingredients added by me! Mark in NJ

Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

• 1 14 1/2-ounce can chicken broth
• 1/2 cup wild rice
• 1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1 1/2 cups hot water
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
• 1 8-ounce russet potato, peeled, diced
• 2 cups beef stock or canned beef broth
• 3/4 cup (about) milk
• 2 tablespoons Madeira

Combine chicken broth and rice in small saucepan. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 50 minutes.

Meanwhile, soak mushrooms in 1 1/2 cups hot water until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain mushrooms, reserving soaking liquid. Cut off mushroom stems and discard. Thinly slice mushrooms.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until tender and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to small bowl. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in same pan. Add onion, garlic, rosemary and thyme and sauté until onion is very tender, about 10 minutes. Mix in potato, beef stock and reserved mushroom soaking liquid. Cover and simmer until potato is very tender, about 15 minutes.

Transfer soup to blender in batches and puree until smooth. Return to saucepan. Stir in wild rice, mushrooms, 3/4 cup milk and Madeira. Cover and simmer 15 minutes to blend flavors. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Return soup to simmer.) Thin with additional milk if desired.

Rustic Cabbage Soup

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• a big pinch of salt
• 1/2 pound potatoes, skin on, cut 1/4-inch pieces
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 5 cups stock (see head notes)
• 1 1/2 cups white beans, precooked or canned (drained & rinsed well)
• 1/2 medium cabbage, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch ribbons
• more good-quality extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Warm the olive oil in a large thick-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the salt and potatoes. Cover and cook until they are a bit tender and starting to brown a bit, about 5 minutes - it's o.k. to uncover to stir a couple times. Stir in the garlic and onion and cook for another minute or two. Add the stock and the beans and bring the pot to a simmer. Stir in the cabbage and cook for a couple more minutes, until the cabbage softens up a bit. Now adjust the seasoning - getting the seasoning right is important or your soup will taste flat and uninteresting. Taste and add more salt if needed, the amount of salt you will need to add will depend on how salty your stock is (varying widely between brands, homemade, etc)...

Serve drizzled with a bit of olive oil and a generous dusting of cheese.

Serves 4.

from 101 Cookbooks

Notes: Made 9/08 with boxed chicken broth. A bit bland. Would benefit from better stock and some herbs. Be sure to cut the cabbage into fine ribbons. Makes way more than 4 servings.

Italian Wedding Soup

Meatballs:

• 1 small onion, grated
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 slice fresh white bread, crust trimmed, bread torn into small pieces
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 8 ounces ground beef
• 8 ounces ground pork
• Freshly ground black pepper

Soup:

• 12 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 pound curly endive, coarsely chopped (1 pound of escarole would be a good substitution)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the meatballs: Stir the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl to blend. Stir in the cheese, beef and pork. Using 1 1/2 teaspoons for each, shape the meat mixture into 1-inch-diameter meatballs. Place on a baking sheet.

To make the soup: Bring the broth to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and curly endive and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the curly endive is tender, about 8 minutes. Whisk the eggs and cheese in a medium bowl to blend. Stir the soup in a circular motion. Gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the moving broth, stirring gently with a fork to form thin stands of egg, about 1 minute. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowls and serve. Finish soup with parmesan cheese if desired.

Variation: add Acini-de-pepe pasta

Yield: 8 servings

from the Food Network (Everyday Italian) [user rating: 5 stars]

Italian Wedding Soup

• 3/4 lb Meatball Mix for Spaghetti and Meatballs
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 3/4 cup chopped white onion
• 3/4 cup chopped carrot
• 1 celery rib, chopped
• salt and pepper
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 small can whole tomatoes, drained and halved
• 1 can white beans
• 1 cup orzo
• 2 cups shredded kale or spinach
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish

Prepare Meatball Mix according to recipe. With damp hands, shape into small balls. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, carrot, celery, salt and pepper and cook until translucent and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, water and tomatoes. Cover and cook 10 minutes over medium heat or until soup comes to a boil.

Add meatballs, beans and orzo to the boiling soup and stir to make sure they are fully submerged. Cover and simmer for another 15 minutes over medium heat. Stir in kale or spinach. Test a meatball and a piece of orzo to ensure that they are fully cooked. Whisk the eggs and cheese in a medium bowl to blend. Stir the soup in a circular motion. Gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the moving broth, stirring gently with a fork to form thin stands of egg, about 1 minute. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan, if desired.

Combined recipes from Food Network, Whole Foods, and Epicurious, 3/08.

Mushroom Barley Soup

Variation of Zingerman's Ann Arbor Mushroom and Barley Soup from Epicurious. I loved it -- not Peter's thing.

• 1 1/4 cups whole, hulled barley
• 1 oz. dried mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 large or two small onions, thinly sliced
• 2 ribs celery with leaves, diced
• 1/4 cup parsley
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound fresh button mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
• 2 quarts beef broth or water (Better Than Bouillion works fine)
• sour cream for garnish

1. Soak the barley in 6 cups water for several hours (I did 6 hours). Add more water if necessary and parcook for 45 minutes.

2. Soak the dried mushrooms in enough hot water to cover for a half hour. Strain through a filter. Reserve the water. Coarsely chop the dried mushrooms.

3. Melt the butter in a stockpot and sauté the onion, celery, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, carrot, garlic, and all the mushrooms until soft, about 5 minutes.

4. Lower the heat and add the flour, stirring, for about 2 minutes or until thick.

5. Heat the broth or water. Add a cup of at a time to the mushroom mixture in the pot, stirring.

6. Turn the heat to high, and add the reserved mushroom water and barley. Stir well.

7. Simmer, covered, for about an hour or until the barley is tender and the soup is thickened, stirring often.

8. Add additional chopped parsley, mix thoroughly, and adjust seasonings.

9. Stir in a bit of sour cream at the table.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Moroccan Lamb Tagine with Raisins, Almonds, and Honey

• 2 teaspoons ras-el-hanout*
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
• 3 cups water
• 3 lb boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 large onion, coarsely grated (1 cup)
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 1/4 cups raisins
• 1 1/4 cups whole blanched almonds
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Accompaniment: couscous

Whisk together ras-el-hanout, salt, pepper, ginger, saffron, and 1 cup water in a 5-quart heavy pot. Stir in lamb, remaining 2 cups water, onion, garlic, cinnamon sticks, and butter and simmer, covered, until lamb is just tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

Stir in raisins, almonds, honey, and ground cinnamon and simmer, covered, until meat is very tender, about 30 minutes more.

Uncover pot and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until stew is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes more.

Cooks' note: Tagine can be made 1 day ahead and cooled, uncovered, then chilled, covered.

*Available at specialty foods shops and Kalustyan's (800-352-3451).

USER NOTES: Substituted two types of garam masala and a tiny bit of chinese 5 spice powder for the ras el-hanout and it seemed like the taste was a fair approximation. Next time I might add less almonds and less prunes as the recipe could be a bit less sweet and there are almost 2 almonds in every bite with this amount.

reduce honey to 1T.

Substitute currants for the raisins and reduce the liquid to really get that great flavor. If you go to an international market, look for dried, whole lemons- one added to the stew makes a nice addition, as well as adding some whole cardamom pods.

from Epicurious

Yield: 6-8 servings

Pressure Cooked North African Lamb Stew

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder or leg, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 large onion, chopped coarse
• 2 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup dried apricots, halved
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup blanched almonds (whole)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• table salt
• ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice from 1 large orange
• 1/3 cup packed fresh mint, plus extra for garnish

1. Heat oil in 6-quart pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Add lamb cubes in batches to avoid overcrowding; brown on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer browned lamb to plate with slotted spoon. Add onion and garlic to heated fat; saute to soften slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Return lamb to pot and stir in remaining ingredients, including 3/4 cup water and salt and pepper to taste. Cover cooker, securing lid; bring to high pressure. Reduce heat to maintain high pressure and cook 15 minutes. Let pressure release naturally, 10 to 15 minutes.

2. When pressure has dropped, carefully remove lid away from you. Test meat; it should be fork-tender. If not, replace lid and cook under high pressure 5 minutes longer, then quick-release pressure.

from Cooks Illustrated

Yield: 4 servings

Curried Chicken-Coconut Soup

• 3 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 1 13.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
• 3/4 cup chopped green onions
• 2 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh lemongrass* (from about 4 stalks)
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 4 large chicken thighs with bones (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1 6-ounce package baby spinach leaves
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Lime wedges

Combine first 6 ingredients in 6- to 8-quart pressure cooker. Remove skin from chicken; add chicken to cooker. Lock lid in place. Bring to high pressure over high heat. Cook 8 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain high pressure. Remove from heat. Let pressure come down naturally 8 minutes. Quick-release any remaining pressure.

Slowly release lid, standing back and allowing steam to escape. Transfer chicken to work surface; cool briefly. Remove bones. Cut chicken into 1/2-inch cubes. Return chicken to soup; add spinach. Simmer until spinach wilts, about 1 minute. Add lime juice. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls; sprinkle with cilantro. Serve, passing lime wedges separately.

*Available at Asian markets and in the produce section of some supermarkets.

COMMENTS: we added extra veggies (carrots, galangal, peas (first), baby corn and mushrooms (after 10 min. or so), red peppers (at the end with fresh basil and lime leaves). Used two cans of coconut milk, a bit of fish sauce adds a great flavor. We just threw the chicken, raw, directly into the pot with the vege broth, coconut milk, and lemongrass and it cooked perfectly...no pressure cooker, just a pot with lid. Added a few green chiles, too. Also, not too much lime juice...perhaps just wedges to serve at the table. Huge success and better the next day!

This soup is wonderful but I did make some changes. Used 4 cups of the broth (each small can contains 2 cups) Then upped the coconut milk by half a can. Added Fish Sauce, Green Curry Paste,Brown Sugar, Red Bell Pepper, Sliced Crimini Mushrooms, Sugar Snap Peas and Minced Garlic. I prepared it on the stove top as I do not own a pressure cooker. Put in the first 6 ingredients plus the curry paste and garlic and simmered for 45 min. then added the rest of the ingredients to taste. BIG TIP: Sliced the lemongrass down the center, cut it into thirds, and then added it.It is a pain to pick it out before serving but not nearly as awful as trying to chew it up while your enjoying this fabulous soup. Next time I will wrap it in a piece of cheese cloth. I also used Basil instead of Cilantro as that is what I had on hand. The Green Curry Paste is very hot so start with a half tablespoon then add to desired heat. We really love this soup on a cold winter night. The lime juice seemed to be heavy handed.Added 2 T. and passed lime wedges at the table. ENJOY !!!

I don't own a pressure cooker, so I made it in the crock pot and let it simmer for several hours. It was absolutely delicious. We had leftovers that I boiled down a bit and served over rice. My husband preferred it that way, although I preferred it as a soup.

This recipe was good. I used one entire breast (about 1 1/2 lbs) cut into eighths and the powdered lemongrass and yellow curry powder that I make from an Indian cookbook recipe. My husband suggested adding fresh onion shreds as garnish along with the cilantro and that was good. Next time I will try it with the red Thai curry paste.

from Epicurious

Yield: 4 main-course servings

Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup

• 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 cups canned or packaged vegetable stock
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained
• 1 1/2 cans (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
• 1 cup light cream
• 1 tablespoon curry powder, 1 palm full
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1/2 palm full
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, eyeball it in the palm of your hand
• Coarse salt
• 20 blades fresh chives, chopped or snipped, for garnish
• optional: roasted chicken, corn

Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Add oil. When oil is hot, add onion. Saute onions 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, black beans and pumpkin puree. Stir to combine ingredients and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and stir in cream, curry, cumin, cayenne and salt, to taste. Simmer 5 minutes, adjust seasonings and serve garnished with chopped chives.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

from Rachael Ray via the Food Network