Hugs in a mug

Liquid-based, solace- and sustenance-giving soup is a universal dish

Curry Pumpkin Soup gets its rich, nutty sweetness from coconut milk, while curry paste adds subtle spice.
Curry Pumpkin Soup gets its rich, nutty sweetness from coconut milk, while curry paste adds subtle spice.

There's a Spanish proverb that goes "of soup and love, the first is better."

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Food styling/KELLY BRANT

Avgolemono is made with just four ingredients: broth, rice, egg yolks and lemon juice.

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Food styling/KELLY BRANT

Quinoa and Bean Stew

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Food styling/KELLY BRANT

Roasted Red Pepper-Tequila Soup

At first I was disinclined to agree. But after a little thought I realized soup is love. On a cold day, a mug or bowl of hot soup is like a warm hug from the inside. Few things are as comforting when you're feeling under the weather as when a friend or family member brings you a bowl of your favorite soup.

But soup isn't just about comfort. When you want something filling, but not heavy, for lunch or dinner, soup is often the solution. For something a little more substantial, add a sandwich or hunk of crusty bread.

Soup is universal. Virtually every cuisine around the world includes a soup of some type. There's Eastern Europe's borscht, Hungary's goulash, Italy's minestrone, France's vichyssoise, Spain's gazpacho, Vietnam's pho, Texas' chili.

The Food Lover's Companion defines soup as any combination of vegetables, meat or fish cooked in a liquid.

Types of soup include stew, bisque, chowder and even chili, depending on how you make it.

Chili: Though officially short for chili con carne, a melange of chile peppers (fresh, dried or ground) and diced or ground beef, the term chili often refers to any stew that combines dried and ground chile peppers and other seasonings with meat, tomatoes and sometimes beans.

Bisque: A thick, rich, smooth soup usually consisting of pureed seafood (but often poultry or vegetables) and cream.

Bouillon: A French broth usually made by simmering mirepoix (carrots, celery and onions sauteed in butter) and aromatic herbs with either beef, veal or poultry bones in water.

Broth: A liquid resulting from cooking vegetables, meat or fish in water that has been seasoned with salt.

Chowder: From "chaudiere," a cooking pot used by French fishermen for making stew, this thick, chunky soup is usually made with seafood, such as clam chowder, but sometimes with vegetables.

Consomme: A clear soup made by clarifying and straining broth made with meat or fish. Can be served hot or cold.

Gumbo: A thick, stewlike dish that begins with a roux and usually features a base of tomatoes, okra and onions with shellfish, chicken, sausage or ham.

Stew: A noun and a verb, the term

applies to the finished dish and the cooking method. Most often stews are dishes that contain meat, vegetables and a souplike broth.

Stock: The unsalted water in which meat, vegetables or fish have been cooked. Broth, consomme and bouillon begin as stock.

Roasted Red Bell Pepper-Tequila Soup

2 pounds red bell peppers (about 3 peppers)

Olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 to 3 cups vegetable or chicken stock

Sea salt and pepper

2 tablespoons tequila OR mescal (see note)

2 tablespoons half-and-half

Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Heat broiler. Have ready a large bowl of ice and water.

Cut each pepper in half through the stem. Remove and discard stems, cores and seeds. Arrange peppers, cut-side down, on a foil-lined broiler pan. Broil peppers, rotating occasionally, until skins are uniformly blackened.

Transfer peppers to the bowl of ice water to cool for 10 minutes. The skins should come right off. Pat peppers dry and coarsely chop.

In a large pot, heat about 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-low. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the chopped peppers, 2 cups of the vegetable stock and a pinch of salt and pepper. Using a hand blender, puree the pepper-stock mixture, then bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and simmer 15 minutes. Add tequila and half-and-half; taste for seasoning. Thin with remaining broth, if necessary. Cook just until heated through. Serve immediately with chopped cilantro, or chill soup and serve it cold.

Makes 4 first-course servings.

Note: Mescal will add a slight smoky sweetness.

Variation: Roasted Red Pepper-Tequila With Corn Soup. Stir 1 cup pan-seared corn kernels into the soup after pureeing and simmer as directed.

Recipe adapted from Elise Pierce/Fort Worth Star Telegram

You can use any kind of beer you like in this soup, but be sure to use one you like to drink because while much of the alcohol cooks away, the flavor does not.

Cheddar-Ale Chowder

2 pounds red potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 (12-ounce) bottle blonde or brown ale

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 ounces cream cheese, softened

4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for serving

Snipped green onions or chives, for garnish

In a 6-quart slow cooker, combine the potatoes, beer, broth and black pepper. Cover and cook on low 7 hours or 4 hours on high, or until the potatoes are tender. Remove and reserve about 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Mash potatoes using a masher or immersion blender. If mixture is too thick, whisk in the reserved cooking liquid. Stir in the cheeses and cook on low until cheeses melt. Serve garnished with green onions and shredded cheese.

Makes about 6 servings.

Recipe adapted from 5 Ingredients or Less Slow Cooker Cookbook by Stephanie O'Dea

Coconut milk gives this soup a silky richness.

Curry Pumpkin Soup

1 (3-pound) pie pumpkin OR 2 (15-ounce) cans pumpkin puree

Coconut oil

Salt and ground black pepper

4 green onions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated

2 tablespoons red curry paste

1 (13- to 15-ounce) can coconut milk

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

Thinly sliced red chile, optional garnish

If using fresh pumpkin: Heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut pumpkin in half; remove seeds. Drizzle flesh with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place pumpkin cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove flesh from skin, discarding skin.

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat a thin layer of oil over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced green onion whites and saute until tender. Add in the pumpkin flesh and curry, and cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and broth and simmer 20 to 30 minutes. Remove pot from heat and puree to desired texture using an immersion blender or in batches in a traditional blender. Serve garnished with green onion tops and sliced chile pepper, if desired.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

The flavor of this vegan stew is reminiscent of chili, but without the heaviness of meat.

Quinoa and Bean Stew

2 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup diced onion

3/4 cup sliced carrots

1/2 cup sliced celery

1 tablespoon ancho chile powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 teaspoons cumin seed

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and ground black pepper

4 cups vegetable broth

1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes

1 (15-ounce) can black beans OR kidney beans, lightly drained

1 cup frozen corn kernels, optional

1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed

2 avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced, for garnish

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Lime wedges, for garnish

Heat oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and saute until onion is translucent. Stir in the spices, oregano, salt and pepper and cook 1 minute.

Stir in broth, tomatoes, beans, corn (if using) and quinoa. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 20 minutes or until quinoa is tender. Thin with additional broth or water, if necessary. Serve garnished with avocado, cilantro and lime.

Makes 6 generous servings.

The first time I tasted avgolemono soup was more than 20 years ago at Little Rock's Terrace restaurant. I immediately fell in love with its rich, velvety texture and subtle lemon flavor. I spent many years chasing that soup, ordering a bowl at every Greek restaurant I visited. While it has been many years since I've eaten The Terrace's version of the famous Greek soup, this recipe captures the version I remember falling in love with -- tender bits of rice suspended in a thick, velvety lemon-scented broth.

Avgolemono Greek Egg and Lemon Soup

4 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup long-grain white rice

4 egg yolks

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt and ground white pepper, to taste

Flat-leaf parsley, for optional garnish

Bring the broth to a simmer in a pot. Add the rice and cook until tender, about 15 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks until thick and pale. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the lemon juice, whisking until frothy.

Reduce heat on broth-rice pot to low.

Gradually ladle the hot broth-rice mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. When about half to three-quarters of the broth mixture has been whisked into the yolk mixture, whisk the yolk-mixture into the remaining broth mixture in the pot. Cook over low heat just until heated through. Do not let mixture boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately garnished with parsley, if desired.

Makes 2 main-course servings or 4 first-course servings.

Chicken and Sweet Corn Soup

6 cups chicken stock

1 (14- to 16-ounce) can creamed corn

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch cubes OR 2 cups shredded leftover cooked chicken

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 egg, beaten

In a medium pot, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir in the creamed corn. Add the cubed chicken and cook 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. (If using leftover chicken, cook 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through.)

Add the sesame oil, then add the salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Slowly pour the egg into the soup in a steady stream, stirring or whisking constantly. The egg should cook immediately and look like long yellowish-white strands. Remove from heat as soon as you see the strands appear. Serve immediately.

Makes 2 main-course servings or 4 appetizer servings.

Recipe adapted from The Chinese Takeout Cookbook: Quick and Easy Dishes to Prepare at Home by Diana Kuan

Food on 01/20/2016

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