Soups & Stews

Cozy, comforting, a tender hug, a warm embrace. These are the bowls on repeat from October to April.

Lamb Stew with Fennel, Preserved Lemon, and Crispy Fried Bread

Dollops of sour cream and sprinkles of herbs are great, but never underestimate the power of salty preserved lemons and spicy, crispy bread.

Quick Weeknight Fish Stew with Olives

The important lesson here is that a good base will give you the flexibility you need to riff.

Spring Seafood Stew with Peas, New Potatoes, and Tarragon

Timing will depend on the size of the clams, and when they are submerged in liquid, they tend to take a bit longer to open than if you were steaming them.

Chicken Noodle Soup with Cabbage, Dill and Lots of Lemon

Among all the ways that soup can be exciting, sometimes all you want is for soup to be whatever the opposite of that is. Comforting. Calming. Soothing. Basic. Expected.

Chicken Broth, The Long Way

This is my basic and very general recipe for chicken broth. It is also extraordinary, in the way that only chicken broth, made with love, care, salt, and plenty of bone-in, skin-on chicken can be.

Brothy Chili with Tomatillo and Greens

If you enjoy chili and thought: I wish this were lighter, brighter and brothier, then I have the recipe for you (it’s this one).

Golden Mushroom Soup with Buttered Orzo

I really enjoy the monk-like austerity of the mushroom/garlic/water magic that occurs (with a fish sauce assist, of course) to create a broth that is delicate and earthy, like a very good, robust mushroom tea almost.

Spiced Zucchini Soup

The bulk of this soup here is zucchini

Golden Turkey Stock

Putting the stock on is the start of something, the beginning of a ritual. It’s a bit of extra work, but the sort of enjoyable, passive work that makes your house smell wonderful and all your food taste better.

Gorgeous Chili

Chili means many different things depending on where you are. Heavy on the tomato, well spiced but will not light-your-mouth on fire, uses hunks of meat (chuck, sirloin, brisket, etc.) to slow braise and beans cooked from dried.

Clam Chowder with Corn and Bacon

This clam chowder is more of the brothy, soupy, light and ethereal variety, ideal for the end of summer and beginning of fall, but would happily take you into the winter months, too.

Squash Soup with Lentils and Herbs

More squash than lentil, this soup has a lovely little sweetness and just enough cumin to remind me of eating soup from a co-op– a very specific, niche yet evocative reference.