Soup

"The soup all abuelitas make their grandchildren, cooking a ojo, or by feel, with a million variations," says 2019 F&W Best New Chef Kwame Onwuachi of this comforting recipe. "I didn't have a Puerto Rican grandmother, so this version is a re-creation of the flavors I remember from places like Caridad and Louie's on Gun Hill Road, 188 Cuchifritos, and all the other lechonerias, cuchifritos, lunch counters, full-on restaurants, and street food vendors that nourish and restore the Bronx's massive Nuyorican population. The soup is a festival of comfort. At its base are the annatto and sofrito that define much of Puerto Rican cuisine, plus a touch of cumin and, because it's me who's making it, a bit of house spice to give just the merest hint of heat."

This is a vivifying soup, good in warm or cold weather. The chile and ginger gently warm your mouth, while acidic tomatoes and tart tamarind come together in the delicate and fragrant broth, which, while light, is full of flavor and satisfying. The fish gently poaches in the broth during the last minutes of cooking, which infuses both the soup base and the fish itself with aroma and flavor, leaving the fish tender, flaky, and moist.

This rasam has the tangy flavor profile you expect from the South Indian favorite, but gets its punchy brightness from lemon juice stirred in at the end instead of the traditional tamarind. The broth may appear to be simple, but boasts great depth of flavor from warm spices like cumin and coriander and the blend of ginger, garlic and chiles mixed in, plus the fried curry leaves, turmeric and mustard seeds. The chopped cilantro added before serving add green herbal notes, especially as they meld into the warm broth. Rasam can be served as an accompaniment to rice or dosa or eaten on its own; it's especially soothing on a chilly night or when you are feeling sick.   

André Mack's silky white asparagus soup is buttery and creamy with a mild sweetness from the asparagus and a touch of acidity from the pickled ramps that brightens the entire dish. Roasted hazelnuts and hazelnut oil lend a deliciously nutty body to the soup and make a beautiful garnish. If ramps are out of season, spring onions make a good substitute here. Straining the soup thoroughly is key to its final, silken texture. Winemaker and restaurateur André Mack serves this dish at & Sons, his ham and wine bar in Brooklyn. 

Matzo ball soup gets a glow-up in this version by cookbook author Leah Koenig, with fresh parsley, dill, chives, and fennel fronds in the matzo balls themselves, plus more herbs, lemon zest, and edible flowers adding color and bright, spring flavors to each finished bowl of soup.

This satisfying bowl of multigrain porridge—made with long grain brown rice, quinoa, and amaranth—is flavored with coconut milk and topped with sweet potatoes seasoned with a splash of fresh lime juice. The fish sauce caramel is both mixed into the porridge as well as drizzled on top just before serving for a sweet and savory umami hit. Remove the porridge from the heat when the mixture is still a little loose. It will set up by the time it hits the table. You will have a little extra fish sauce caramel leftover—drizzle it on shrimp, steak, or seared vegetables.